The Journal of Talon Tantiss (son of Mark Tantiss)
by Jedi-lover
Summary: This is for TFN Diary Challenge. I have to write two entries per month for a Star Wars Character. This is a diary of Talon Tantiss. He is the youngest son of my Original Character Mark Tantiss from the fanfics Second To None, STN-Sacrifies and The Journal of Mark Tantiss
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: The Journal of Talon Tantiss

**Autho**r: Jedi_Lover

**Timeframe**: Around 32 ABY

**Characters**: Talon Tantiss, Mark, Jaden & Kira Tantiss, Luke & Mara Skywalker and their kids and the Solo's.

**Genre**:This is part of TheForceNet 2013 Diary Challenge. I have to write two entries per month for an entire year for a Star Wars Character's Journal or Diary. The character can be canon or an original Character. Mine is an original character who is the son of two other original characters from my previous fanfic. So he is second generation OC.

**Notes:** This story is based on my previous fanfics _Second To None, The Journal of Mark Tantiss_, & the Sequel to _Second To None—Sacrifices. _ Talon Tantiss is the son of Mark and Kira Tantiss. He is named after Mark's good friend Talon Karrde.

* * *

_**Entry 1:**_

Today I worked as an extra for a Jedi recruiting Holo for my Uncle Luke. The Grand Master was the star of the show, but some of his young students were asked to stand in the background. The younger Jedi apprentices were in the front and the older trainees stood the in rear. I was in back with the eighteen to twenty-year-old students—all of us on the brink of knighthood. My older brother Jaden was there along with my cousins Ben, Jak, Owen and Hanna Skywalker. Anakin Solo was present but Jaina and Jacen had already been knighted and were off on a mission. Next to Anakin was Tahiri Veila. Those two are virtually attached at the hip…or some other parts of their bodies. I rarely see them apart. We also had Corran Horn's children Valin and Jysella Horn. We had all grown up together so we are really good friends.

We did the shoot and were dismissed, but then I was stopped by the director of the holofilm. He asked me my name and who my parents were. He gave me a really eerie look and then asked if he could take a couple headshots of me with his imager for a recruiting flyer. I didn't see any harm in it, so I said okay and signed the waivers. Still, I kept getting a bad vibe from this guy. I just couldn't pinpoint the source of my unease.

He told me he planned to do a movie on the life and times of a Jedi and asked me if I kept a journal. I told him '_no_'. He suggested I do so. I assume he asked other Jedi also. I wouldn't know why he would just ask me.

I was never much of a writer, but I know my father kept a journal for years during the time of the New Republic and the skirmishes against the Empire. We have a treaty with the Imperial Remnant now, but during the early years of the New Republic there was some fierce fighting. This director should ask my father for his journal. I don't know what secrets are in it, but my father is pretty boring and totally whipped by my mother, so I doubt there is anything scandalous there.

I decided it might not be a bad idea to keep a journal. Maybe when I am old and retired I will have the story of my life published.

* * *

_**Entry 2.**_

Nothing happened exciting today. Got up, got into my uniform, went to lightsaber practice, meditation lessons, history instruction and then off to classes in the standard student curriculum seen in local school…basically, reading, writing, arithmetic, science, galactic history and foreign languages. Gods my life is boring.

* * *

_**Entry 3.**_

Stang! Oh kriff! The bantha poodoo hit the fan today. That director who took the head shots of me sold my image to some sleemo holonet show! The headline is: **Is this boy the lovechild of Luke Skywalker!? **Oh man, my mother, father, Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara are hot under the collar. They tried to get the images of me pulled but I signed a waiver. They are going through legal steps to try to quell the rumors, but that is going to take some time.

**I'm not the son of Luke Skywalker!**

I guess, if I ever do publish my journal, I should give a little back story as to who I am and who my real father is. My name is Talon Tantiss. I am the son of Mark Tantiss and Kira Starkos. My father was discovered deep within a fortress of Mount Tantiss on the planet Wayland. He is a clone. His DNA came from Luke Skywalker's severed hand, which he lost in a fight with his father Darth Vader on the Cloud City of Bespin.

My father initially looked just like Uncle Luke, but he kept growing and getting bigger and muscular until he was as big as a Wookiee. My Aunt Mara believes he was intended to be an Imperial Sentinel for the Dark Jedi Joruus C'Baoth. They think my father was scheduled to be chemically lobotomized and muted in order to become an extension of the dark Jedi's will. Unfortunately for C'baoth, my Aunt Mara did some impromptu heart surgery on him with her lightsaber. My father was found and basically raised by the Jedi. He is now a Jedi Master and has been Master to Luke's son Ben for over eight years now.

I have blond hair, blue eyes and don't look anything like my father because he doesn't want anybody to know he's a clone. He grew a beard and has dyed his hair bright red and his irises green for decades. He tells people his is my Aunt Mara's long lost brother. Who I do look like is Luke Skywalker. I am taller than Uncle Luke because I have my father's height, but I look very much like Luke did when he was my age.

Of course I actually look exactly like my Dad, but people don't know that. I guess I can understand why people might think I'm Uncle Luke's son.

This is such a mess!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Entry 4.**_

I was called into my uncle's office today. My parents and Aunt Mara were there also. I didn't think I did anything wrong, but my Uncle Luke informed me I was in violation of Jedi Academy code 48.16 which says, "_No Jedi Apprentice or Jedi Knight will grant interviews or allow the use of their image without first acquiring permission from the Temple's Public Affairs Officer". _

I was told that, if I had taken the time to talk to the Public Affairs Officer, I would have been informed that all imager requests for publication must be approved by the PAO and the Grand Master.

So basically, I'm in trouble…and I made it worse by trying to defend myself. I should have simply taken my punishment and learned from my mistake, but I didn't.

"I really don't know why this is such a big deal!" I said.

"Not a big deal," my mother screeched. Wow! That got me sweating. My mother will yell and occasionally curse, but I have never heard her screech. "They're saying I slept with your Uncle Luke! That's disgusting!"

I know my mother didn't mean that as an insult, but the look on my uncle's face was hilarious. He's probably thinking, _"Hey, I'm no Hutt."_ I think my Aunt Mara picked up on his bruised feelings from my Mom's remark and she glared at him. "You don't have to act disappointed, Farmboy!"

Uncle Luke's eyes went wide. "I wasn't disappointed, but it could have been phrased better."

My mother looked terribly embarrassed. "I'm sorry Luke, I didn't mean it that way. You're a handsome man, but I'm a married woman…besides, I like my men big." She gazed at my father lovingly and Dad gave her a wink and a huge grin. It's disgusting when they do that—giving each other mushy looks. And I _really_ hope my mother is referring to his height. Gross.

For some reason that comment didn't seem to make my uncle feel any better. In fact, he now looked more perturbed by the conversation than ever. Before he could say anything else my Aunt changed the subject. "Talon, you have to understand what we're going through. The media is accusing your mother and my husband of an adulterous affair."

I shrugged. "The media is always accusing you guys of horrible things. Why is this different?"

My family looked at each other puzzled. Finally my aunt asked me what I was talking about.

"Don't you read the holozine tabloids?"

"No, I have better things to do," Uncle Luke said. He pulled a datapad out of his desk and tossed it to me. "Show me what you're talking about."

I went to the holonet site for gossip and then wrote in Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker. Immediately a list of slanderous stories popped up. I picked one of the least offensive ones and passed it to my Aunt Mara. "Here's one about you."

She gave me a confused look but took the datapad and started reading. The blood rushed to her face and I could feel anger building up in the Force. Finally she let out an angry screech (that's two screeches in one day! I'm on a roll) and threw the datapad across the room. My Uncle Luke held out his hand and halted the datapad's movement before it shattered against the wall. He gave my aunt a bewildered look. "Mara, it can't be that bad."

"Read it!" She yelled at him.

The datapad floated over to him and he began to read and I could see the blood drain from his face. "Oh," was all he said.

"How can they say these things and get away with it?"

Uncle Luke took a deep breath. "We're a type of celebrity and not afforded the same protections as private citizens."

Aunt Mara pointed at the datapad. "Is that even physically possible for a human and a Quarren to do what they are suggesting? It's ridiculous!"

Luke looked at the datapad closer and turned it sideways. "I don't know whose body they holo-manipulated your head on, but it does look possible."

"Can I see," my father asked and he was promptly smacked on the head by both my mother and aunt. "Owww. Don't get mad at me. I'm not the one who made out with a Quarren."

"Neither did I!" My aunt yelled at him.

I shook my head. "Listen, the media has been making up lies about you and the rest of the Jedi for years. The only difference is my story got picked up by a holonet site and not a holozine. It just got a little more exposure than the other stories."

"Are there any stories about me?" My father asked and then got an elbow in the side by my mother.

"Only the one about you being a shaved Wookiee," I said with a laugh…and I wasn't joking.

My uncle Luke squeezed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Talon. You will_ not _grant interviews, you will_ not_ talk about this subject to any reporters or strangers and you will_ not_ sign any more waivers allowing your image to be released to the press. Is that understood?"

I have never heard my uncle sound so mad. "Yes sir."

"Get out of here," he said. I got up and I hastily rushed to the door.

I really hope this story blows over soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Entry 5.

A group of my friends and I went to a dance club tonight. I needed to get away from the temple. My mother is still fuming and she is spending as much time as possible working at the restaurant and away from the Temple. This makes my father very grumpy because now he has to make his own dinner and after depending on my mother to cook his meals since he was a three-month-old-clone his culinary skill consists of heating up ration bars.

So I needed to escape the stress. I was with my brother Jaden, Ben Skywalker, Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila (of course…where ever Anakin goes, so shall Tahiri). We snagged some seats in a corner table as far away from the band as possible so we could talk.

Right now Ben was laughing at my misfortune. "So I heard we're now half-brothers."

"Ha, ha, Ben. You better not joke like that in front of your parents. They are _not _amused."

Ben snickered. "I heard you showed my mom that Quarren photomanip story."

I shuddered. "Don't remind me."

Ben was having trouble keeping a straight face. "When they came back home mom was doing holonet searches of her name in gossip holozines. All night long all I heard was, "What! I'm not the love child of Admiral Daala and Grand Moff Tarkin! Ack! Force Vampire! They say I suck the Force out of you Luke!"

Ben chuckled. "I don't know what my father said back to Mom, but she threatened to take her lightsaber and cut off all protruding parts of his body for '_that filthy comment_'." Ben doubled over with laughter.

I shook my head in amazement. "I can't believe your mom never heard of those gossip-holozines."

Ben gave a dismissive wave of a hand. "They have a life you know, unlike you who obviously reads that trash."

I shrugged my shoulders. Ben's probably right. I need to find a hobby or hurry up and finished my Jedi Trials so I can go on missions. Of course Mom will expect me to go to college in case I one day decide the Jedi life was not for me.

I grabbed my soda and took a sip. We are all of legal drinking age (which is eighteen on Coruscant), but like most Jedi, the majority of us are non-drinkers. In fact, drinking is somewhat discouraged at the Jedi Academy; a drunken Jedi, is a dangerous Jedi. I think the policy originated from some huge fight between a group of Jedi and a swoop gang during a bachelor party. It happened before I was born, so I'm not sure whose party it was for or what Jedi were involved.

I look over to Anakin and Tahiri who were sitting so close together they were practically in each other's laps. They're faces were close together, noses touching, and they were whispering sweet nothings to each other. Ugh…how long is this romantic munk going to go on? They have been dating for years; they should just get married and get a place of their own.

I know Jaden wants them married and on their own. Right now he is sharing a room with Anakin in the temple. He said he will often come back from his pre-med studies at night and find a sock on the doorknob. That is Anakin's signal that he is 'entertaining' Tahiri in his room that night. So my exiled brother comes over to my room to crash. I still live with my parents, but he sleeps in my room because he doesn't want my mother finding out why he's there and telling Leia what her son is up to in the Temple dormitory. Not that I know what they are doing. I am sure it is something completely innocent like meditation. Ha…I can't write that with a straight face.

I wish Jaden wouldn't invite Anakin to these outings. It's not that I don't like Anakin. He is a great guy and technically my cousin, but he and Tahiri are _so _obnoxious together.

They'll stare into each other's eyes and say things like,_"A day without your love is a day without life"_or the all time worst "_You did more than kiss my lips, you kissed my soul_". Stang! Where do they come up with this sentimental sap? Do they do a holonet search for "_Love quotes to creep your friends out"_?

Anyway… getting back to our fun night out.

I am sitting there minding my own business when two beautiful young ladies come up to me and put their arms around my shoulders. "Aren't you Talon Tantiss? We saw you on the holonet."

I held up my hand signally them to stop talking. "Before you say anything I want to say the report is false. I'm definitely _NOT_ the son of Skywalker."

The girls gave a wry grin. "Of course you're not." One winked at me and whispered in my ear. "Your secret is safe with us." I jumped when the other girl leaned down and nibbled on my earlobe. "Do you want to come back with us to our apartment? We're roommates."

The other girl giggled. "And we share everything."

Now I have dated before, but I've never had two women come up and proposition me. I wasn't sure how to take that. It was thrilling and at the same time scary.

Ben gave them a disbelieving look. "You girls do know that_ I'm_ actually the son of Luke Skywalker."

The women looked over to my freckled-face, redheaded cousin, gave him the once over and then turned back to me. "That's nice." They said indifferently.

Ben's face fell and I could feel a spike of irritation coming from him. He had the misfortune to be born a boy with his mother's hair color and complexion. Red hair is beautiful on women…men, not so much. Ben's younger sister Hanna is a gorgeous redhead that turns the head of just about every human male apprentice at the Temple…and Uncle Luke knows it. There is an anonymous, unofficial _directive_ that went around the temple warning men that the Grand Master's daughter was off limits! I am pretty sure Uncle Luke put out the word…but it could have been my Aunt Mara or one of Hanna's over protective brothers.

But, getting back to my story—I am being practically molested by two gorgeous women, meanwhile, my brother Jaden is now grinning furiously realizing how uncomfortable I was at the moment. He knows that even if I wanted to, I couldn't leave with these two ladies without my mother finding out. Mom's no prude, but I am fairly sure she would frown at me going off with two strange women to get 'entertained' in their apartment.

"I appreciate the offer ladies," I stammered. "But I have a Jedi mission to go to tonight. It is dangerous and top secret…but if you give me your comlink numbers maybe I can call you later. The girls smiled and took out a stylus and scribbled their numbers on a napkin. As they left I put the napkin in my pocket and gave my brother a poodoo eating grin. "I guess it helps looking like Dad instead of Mom."

My brother frowned. He had my mother's brown hair and eyes and tanned skin. He's not bad looking, but he's no Luke Skywalker.

"Ppfff," he made a dismissive sound, "I wish you went with them. They'd probably stun cuff you naked to bed and suddenly a dude wearing a Darth Vader costume will jump out of the closet and …"

"Please stop repeating that urban legend!" Anakin groaned. "Why does the costumed guy always have to be dressed as my grandfather in these stories?"

"Yeah," Ben said while making a face.

"Because a guy dressed as Yoda wouldn't be as menacing," Jaden laughed.

Before Anakin could reply Tahiri jump up and pulled him out of his seat. "They're playing our song," she said excitedly as he dragged Anakin to the dance floor.

I watched them dancing for a few minutes. Tahiri can dance, I'll give her that. Anakin, though, looks like he was taught to dance by See Threepio. "Jaden," I said to my brother.

"Yeah."

"If I ever get that whipped by a woman please shoot me with your blaster."

Jaden smirked. "Do I have to wait until you are whipped, or can I just do it now?"

I gave him a knowing look. "Oh, you're just jealous?"

"No, I have a feeling your resemblance to the Grand Master is going to end up getting you in trouble."

I looked at him confused. "Why is that?"

Jaden looked at Ben with a smirk. "You tell him."

Ben laughed. "Because Skywalkers always attract trouble."

Truer words have never been spoken.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Entry 6**_

Shavit! Those girls from the club two nights ago are making my life miserable. First of all somebody took a holo of them hanging all over me that night. They then took the holo and posted it on their holonet social page saying that I actually went back with them and …let's just say most of the things they said I did I've never done with anybody in my life…let alone two women at once.

My holonet online sex life is astounding. I wish my real life could measure up. But I am under the watchful eye of my Master—which happens to be my Aunt Mara—and I also live with my parents. My love life is pretty much non-existent—which is why I can't wait until I start college next year. Then it will be _Jedi Gone Wild!_ Okay, maybe not wild, but at least there'll be some slack on my leash.

Where was I? Oh yeah, those girls posted some juicy gossip about my sexual prowess. That got around the campus of the college they went to and eventually the rumor was circulating in the Temple dorm and then I have my father grabbing me by the collar of my Jedi robes and pulling me into a conference room so he could give me a long, drawn out discussion on the proper way to treat women.

He was angry and his face was as red as his beard, so I didn't dare interrupt him until he finally took a breath and asked me if I understood. I then told him I did, but Jaden, Anakin, Tahiri and Ben could vouch for me that I didn't go anywhere with those women and they were probably upset that I didn't call them.

Dad glared at me for a moment searching my face and probably through the Force to see if I was lying. He then said, "Okay, but I better not find out you're bringing dishonor to the Jedi Order."

I told him I wouldn't. After he left I wondered if being known as a Jedi stud was actually bringing dishonor to the Jedi…but there was no way I was going to say that out loud.

I'm in trouble enough.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Entry 7**_

Today I did lightsaber practice with my Master—Mara Jade Skywalker. I am fairly respectable with a lightsaber and I was looking forward to a good duel…but then I saw she had brought out the practice lightsabers. That's not good.

When we duel with real lightsabers I am fairly certain that even if I screw up my aunt wont chop my head off (although in the last few day…I'm not so sure). She always keeps tight control of her lightsaber just in case I do falter. Unfortunately, when she brings out the practice lightsabers I know I am going to feel the full fury of her lightsaber skills. I'm good, but not that good. I think she planned to put the hurt on me for signing those holo release forms. She'd never admit it though…revenge is not a Jedi thing.

Anyway, things start off well. She isn't holding anything back and I am able to defend myself for some time, but after the minutes droned on and on I started to feel the strain of combat. Eventually she broke through my guard and gave me a nasty welt across my arm. As I was reeling from that blow she spun and snapped the practice saber across my backside.

How embarrassing.

"That would be a fatal blow Talon. I can't send you out for your trials if you're not ready." She said without a trace of emotion, but I am sure she is either laughing or scowling at me deep inside.

"Yes, Master." I said as I moved back to the _En Garde_ position. She lunged at me. I parried and countered with my own strike which she blocked with ease. I opened myself up to the Force and focused intently on sparring. I managed to ward off a majority of her strikes, but I was so focused on my saber work that I was unprepared for a perfectly performed leg sweep which took my feet out from under me. I fell hard on my back and found the glowing blade of the practice saber a centimeter from my throat. "Yield," I said, embarrassed and angry at myself for screwing up.

She turned off the saber and then reached out to help me to my feet. "I'm a little tougher to spank than two co-eds, I see."

The blood drained from my face. It appears that the rumors have got around to the Skywalker household. I immediately thought of Ben. He must have told his parents about the gossip going around about me and those women. "Master…Aunt Mara…I never went anywhere with those girls and I definitely didn't dress up in a costume and spank them with a toy lightsaber!"

She stared at me coldly, her bright green eyes blazing. If I had a real lightsaber, I might have cut a hole in the floor and made my escape. Finally I could see the corners of her mouth curl up before she chuckled. "Since I have found myself the target of spurious rumors, I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, Talon." She looked me over and frowned. "The Grand Master was thinking of sending you with Ben on a mission. If you are going to be watching my son's back, you need to practice more. Ask Jaina for sparring help. She is the only young Jedi that gets close to beating me."

I nodded. "Yes Master."

With that my aunt turned and walked away. Ughh…the last person I want to spar with is Jaina. I can beat almost all the young Jedi in sparring, except Jaina. And I have yet to best my Aunt Mara. Maybe I just hold back because they are women. Ha! I would love to believe that, but I know it's not true. They _are _good!

So now I have to go home with welts on my body and have my father laugh at my misfortune. He once told me how Aunt Mara used to do the same thing to him while sparring.

Just great.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Entry 8**_

Things have been quieting down a bit. My story is becoming old news and now the top Holonet story involves some Gungan song rapper. It became a holonet sensation and now everybody is making their own version of the holo. It is ridiculously stupid. The main chorus is "Messa do it Gungan Style".

Hopefully after that dies down it will be replaced by a holo of cute pittens wearing hats.

Mom has been giving dad fits though. Most of the people in the Temple don't know Dad is a clone. He has kept that a secret for a long while. I know the Skywalkers, Solos, Horns, Solusars, and the Wild Karde crew all know, but few others do. She told dad that she has been getting dirty looks and people are whispering behind her back and believe she had an affair with my Uncle Luke. She told dad she is thinking about moving out of the Temple. That freaked out my dad out because he thought she was leaving him. I don't know why he would believe that. I think deep down he has some self-esteem problem about being a clone.

I know he had told me he keeps it secret because he wasn't sure how people would react. He didn't care about himself, but it would hurt him if people discriminated against his family because they thought him less than human. He said he knew the Old Republic had no problems building a slave clone army and using them as cannon fodder against the Separatist Droid Army. Dad did a lot of research on the clone wars. It is a sore subject for him. When we talk about Jedi ethics he always points out the hypocrisy. Part of the old Jedi code said "The Jedi will respect all life, in any form". He thought the clones were treated inhumanly. They had no choice in their fate. Deserters were hunted down and killed.

Anyway, Dad is sure there is still lingering bias against clones and wanted to keep things secret, but he didn't want to move his family out of the safety of the Temple, so we had a family meeting. My older brother Jaden, me and my parents all sat together and discussed our options. Mom never really cared that Dad was a clone. Jaden said he can care less if Dad revealed the truth. I wasn't sure what reaction I would get from my friends, but I didn't want my mother to be viewed as some home-wrecking woman. We decided the Jedi should know…at least the ones who lived in the temple that my mother would have contact with.

Uncle Luke got the Masters and Jedi together and revealed that Dad is his clone. After the laughter subsided, Uncle Luke explained the obvious differences between the two men. My mother was relieved and decided to continue living in the temple.

Everybody seemed very supportive. I hope this ends the controversy.


	7. Chapter 7

_**ENTRY 9**_

Anakin finally proposed to Tahiri. It's about time. Jaden is thrilled. Anakin will be moving out of the Bachelor Apprentice Quarters and into the Family Housing Unit. And this makes me happy because Jaden won't be exiled from his quarters and end up crashing on the floor of my room anymore…unless he gets another roommate who's equally lucky with the ladies. That would be a bummer.

Of course, living with my parents is not much better, half the time I have to sleep with a pillow over my head to block out the strange noises coming from their sleeping chambers. I have no idea what creepy things my parents are up to...and I don't want to know. Once I caught my dad at two in the morning grabbing whipped cream out of the cooling unit. That alone wouldn't be so weird, but he was wearing boxer shorts, a cape and an Imperial Sentinel helmet at the time. Luckily, I ran back to my room before he realized I saw him. I really didn't want to hear what type of lame explanation he was going to give me for wearing that costume.

Maybe I should ask Jaden if I could become his roommate. I really doubt he will remain alone in a double room for long. After all, the Academy is growing everyday. Jaden is not a speciesist but I really don't think he would enjoy living with a shedding Wookiee, an odorous Tof, or an arrogant Arkanian. He'd be better off with me.

But that's all going to have to wait until after Anakin and Tahiri's wedding. I was told a wild bachelor party was being planned for Anakin. That should be fun. Maybe there will be lady dancers…hopefully of the human variety. I am not a speciesist either, but that female Rodian dancer that showed up at Rayf Ysanna's bachelor's party just didn't do anything for me…although the Askajian that danced afterwards was interesting...very interesting.

I shouldn't be thinking about such things. I have enough girl troubles as it is.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Entry 10**_

Dad's in trouble with Mom…again. He came home a few days ago driving a speeder bike. He didn't tell Mom he was going to buy one…probably because he knew she hates speeder bikes. She thinks they're way too dangerous. They argued about it for a while and finally he admits he got it because his friend Corran Horn made fun of his 'family' speeder.

In my father's defense, I don't blame him for not wanting to drive the family vehicle anymore. It's a modified seven-seat speeder whose back seats can be folded down into the chassis to make room for freight. He bought it with my mother in mind because she could use it for her catering jobs. Dad drove that around until recently when Mom decided to have the sides of the speeder painted with the restaurant logo. That was bad enough but there was a wreath of Ithorian roses framing the design.

Come on, Mom! Dad's a Jedi warrior; he shouldn't have to ride around in a family speeder with flowers painted on the side.

Anyway, Corran Horn, sarcastically commented to Dad that he had such a _pretty _speeder. That got my dad hot under the collar so he decided to get a speeder bike…because everybody knows having a landspeeding crotch-rocket is the best way to prove you're a real man. Unfortunately he got one a little too small for his body weight. My father is 2.10 meters in height and probably 125 kilograms. When he drove down the street the back end of the bike sat a little too close to the ground and would bottom out when he went over rough terrain. Dad would need a turbo charged swoop to hold his weight.

I guess it could be worse. Two years ago Corran made fun of Dad's 'family' shuttle (I have no idea why those two like to harass each other. Mom says it's because they like each other so much). Dad got upset and bought an old Headhunter and then retrofitted the wings and engines onto the shuttle fuselage. He now says it is his modified Headhunter. It is more like a modified 'Mommy shuttle'. My Aunt Mara saw it and laughed so hard I thought she would break a rib. Uncle Han thought it was cool, though.

Getting back to my story…Mom finally told my dad he could keep the bike if he increased his life insurance policy because she knows he's going to get himself killed.

Dad left in a huff and then came back four hours later without the speeder bike but instead a sleek, bright red, high performance, two-seater airspeeder…the kind of vehicle a man going through a mid-life crisis would buy. Mom just rolled her eyes and said that was better. Hopefully that solved the problem. Mom gets the flower covered cargo speeder and dad gets the Manly-Mobile (I hope he'll let me drive it sometime).


	9. Chapter 9

**The song in this story was based on the real life Jedi Drinking song by the Brobdingnagian Bards.**

* * *

_**Entry 11**_

Stang! Tonight was fun! It was Anakin's bachelor party. We went to a cantina that Anakin's father highly suggested. It was a place called the _Red Rancor_…which is coincidently what my father calls his ship. I wonder if there is a connection there? Anyway, Han Solo said going to the _Red Rancor_ for bachelor parties was an old Corellian tradition and since he was paying for the party he had a say in the venue.

What I didn't know was that all our fathers were going to the party also. Why in the worlds would Anakin invite his dad, Luke, Corran and my father? It sort of puts a crimp on our style. There is no way they would tolerate us getting drunk and starting a bar fight…they are all too prim and proper for that kind of behavior. Not that I wanted to get drunk and fight, but if I did…the option is no longer there.

Despite the presense of our aging fathers, we did manage to have fun. There was me, Jaden, Anakin, Jacen, Valin and Ben all sitting around a large table at the center of the tavern. The food was good and there was plenty of drinks courtesy of the father of the groom, but no strippers. Anakin said he was scared of Tahiri showing up with lightsaber blazing if she got a hint that scantily clad women would be there.

"Gods, you are so whipped!" I said to Anakin.

He just frowned at me. "She didn't say I couldn't have strippers. I just didn't want to do anything that might upset her."

"Ha! In other words, whipped!" Jaden yelled out then went back to drinking his second mug of ale.

"At least I have a woman," Anakin shot back to Jaden.

That got my big brother riled up. "Who said I don't have a woman?"

"If you do it must be the invisible woman." Anakin joked.

"Or she could be a student at the university I am attending," Jaden replied. "Not all of us date female Jedi."

"Although some may want to," I said with a snarky tone. I know Jaden has had a crush on a couple Jedi ladies at the Temple. Talk about a wuss! He is too scared to approach them.

"Oh no," Jacen moaned as he looked up to the tavern's small stage by the dance floor. "Please don't tell me they're going to sing."

We looked up to see Han Solo and Corran Horn walk up to the microphone on stage. Both were holding large mugs of ale in their hands. The establishment had a Singing-Assist machine. A patron could pick a song and the background music would play as the lyrics moved across a screen. The patron would then sing the lyrics…usually very badly…as their friends cringed in the audience.

We heard the background music of a traditional Corellian drinking dirge sound out from the speakers. I notice Jacen, Anakin and Valin all slid down in their seats a bit as they tried to hide their faces.

"Somebody please kill me," Jacen moaned as his father started belting out a horribly off tune rendition of the song.

_**In a Corellian pub far, far away, **_

_**I sat on a barstool, just drinking away, **_

_**I couldn't hold it down, I guess I had too much **_

_**I felt a tremor in the force and then I lost my lunch**_

"No, kill me first," Valin moaned as Corran chimed in with the chorus.

_**So let's all drink up and prepare to fight **_

_**In defense of Corellia we ride tonight!**_

Ben laughed. "Hey Corellian drinking songs come with the territory. At least you don't have to hear the _'When I was a boy I had to get up before sunrise to fix moisture evaporators.'_ lecture."

"No," Anakin shot back. "We have to hear, '_When I was your age I had two death sentences on my head and had to support myself by swoop racing_.'"

"Oh Gods!" Ben put his head down on the table in an exaggerated look of embarrassment. "My dad's going up on stage with them. He isn't even Corellian!"

Luke was now on the stage and the three men were trying to wave my father up to sing also, but Dad refused with a shake of his head. My father doesn't drink so his inhabitations were obviously firmly in place. Still, the fear that he would go up almost had me fleeing the establishment. Luckily Ben's younger brothers showed up.

Jak and Owen were identical twins born to Luke and Mara a couple years after Ben was born. Both had green eyes and dark blond hair that would get reddish highlights when they spent too much time in the sun. They were tanned, having not inherit the pale skin and freckled complexion of their older brother Ben. They were okay guys, but they had this creepy identical twin vibe going on all the time. They would finish each other's sentences and often would dress alike.

"Guys," one of the twins said as he ran up to the table. At that point I wasn't sure if I was dealing with Jak or Owen. "We found where the…"

"Bachelorette party is being held," the other twin said as he came up behind his brother.

Anakin perked up. "Really? Where?"

"Two blocks down. At a tavern called _The Palace_. It's ladies' night." The twin, who I am fairly certain is Jak, smirked. "There are tons of hot looking ladies down there."

"Do you want to go check it out?" Owen asked.

I look up to the stage and see my father has given in to peer-pressure and was joining Luke, Han and Corran up on the stage. "Yes!" I say enthusiastically. "Let's get out of here!"

We moved out to the crisp night air and quickly walk down to _The Palace_. We paid the cover charge to a guy that gave us a weird look. I wasn't sure what that was about until we got inside and realized it was not just ladies night, but Male Revue Night.

So now I am thinking, _'Why do the ladies get male strippers when we couldn't have female dancers?'_

"Stang!" Jaden exclaimed. "Valin…is that your sister Jysella in a microdress and putting credits into that guy's…ummm…front pouch?"

Valin looked over to where Jaden pointed and turned white. "Oh Gods!"

"She looks beautiful." The words came out of Jaden in almost a whisper, but Valin must have heard him because he gave my brother a light punch on the arm.

"Don't be looking at my sister like that!"

"Valin," Ben chuckled. "Women don't wear dresses like that unless they _want_ to be looked at."

Jacen let out a gasp. "Oh Force…is that my sister next to Jysella?"

Owen started cracking up. "Yes, and it's too bad she's my cousin. She looks…" He didn't get to finish the sentence. Jacen shot him such a glare that both twins slunk back a step.

"Wow, that dude is really rubbing up against Jaina." Ben remarked hoarsely as he stared transfixed at the scene before him.

"Tahiri!" Anakin mumbled in shock as he saw his fiancé laugh and throw credits up on the stage to a muscular man with tight, tight shorts that outlined his manly assets in a way that made the women scream but made me queasy.

Then I saw something I never want to see again. There in a corner booth cheering the young Jedi on were…our mothers!

"Oh kriff! Mom's here!" I said to Jaden as I pointed to a dark corner of the club.

"And my mother!" Anakin said looking faint.

"Isn't that Mirax Horn with them also?"

"And that redhead that is facing away from us…" Owen started.

"Is our mom!" the other twin finished.

Ben looked like he was going to be ill. "I think I've seen enough."

We all agreed and nearly ran out of the tavern. We didn't want anybody seeing us there.

So we went back to the _Red_ _Rancor_. By that time Han and Chewie were fighting with a swoop gang. At least the night wasn't a total bust.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Entry 12**_

I went to Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila's wedding today. Despite the fact that Anakin and Tahiri have been inseparable for years and Anakin wanted to be married more than anything—he had what I would call a tiny _'episode'_ while at the altar. He was standing next to Tahiri, holding her hands and suddenly his eyes glazed over and he started sweating. Then he started to sway. My Uncle Luke was officiating and he hesitated and whispered something to Anakin. There was a pause in the ceremony as Jaina came up with a glass of water for her brother. I am pretty sure he was about to pass out. Maybe he drank a little too much after we took out those swoop gang members at the _Red Rancor_.

He drank the water and gave the audience a lopsided grin as he put his hand up in an _'I'm alright'_ gesture. Tahiri appeared more amused than upset. The rest of the ceremony went well. They exchanged rings, they kissed, my mom cried, Aunt Leia cried, Aunt Mara didn't cry, but I am pretty sure her eyes were misting up.

After the ceremony we went to the reception, which was at my parent's restaurant, the _Manarai._ My parents closed the restaurant to the public just for this special occasion. There was plenty of food, an open bar and a live band. Jaden, Ben and I walked toward the refreshment table just as Karrde's two daughters grabbed flutes of sparkling wine off the beverage counter and walked away like they belonged there. But they didn't belong there…we all knew they were way to young to drink.

"Wait right there," I said as I took the alcoholic drink out of Zylie's hand. Ben assisted me by confiscating the other drink from Zylie's sister Valla.

"Give that back to me, Ben Skywalker!" Valla said.

"You're not of drinking age," Ben pointed out.

She crossed her arms across her chest as she glared at my redheaded cousin. "I'm seventeen. Next year I'll be legal."

"Yeah," piped in Zylie. "And I am a very mature twelve year old."

That comment made me laugh in her face. She turned bright red and glared at me.

Ben drank Valla's confiscated drink as he smiled. "That may be so, but until you are both eighteen you have to get your drinks from the kids' table."

"You guys are jerks," Valla said as she scowled at Ben.

"Yeah, I can't believe you're named after my father," Zylie added as she looked in my direction. The girls both stalked off, but not before Zylie made an obscene gesture to me.

I turned to Jaden and Ben. "Did you see that?" I shook my head. "Gods, I feel sorry for anybody who dates those girls."

Ben laughed. "I know."

In reality I wouldn't mind dating Valla. She is only a year younger than me and she has a quirky personality that I like. Also, it doesn't hurt that she is very easy on the eyes. She has her mother's good looks and trim body, but she has the dark eyes and hair of her father. Zylie looks like a miniature version of Valla, but she is a little more hotheaded than her sister…and sarcastic. Despite her quarrelsome attitude, I am sure in five or six years she will be turning heads.

Jaden returned from the beverage table with a mixed drink. "Ben, just a heads up," he said. "Your baby sister Hanna is drifting over to the alcohol."

I laughed as Ben ran his fifteen-year-old sister away from the adult beverages, while threatening to tell their mom."

Valin Horn wandered up to where we were standing. He's carrying a mug of ale and sporting a smirk on his face. "You guys want to see something pathetic?"

We're guys…of course we want to see something pathetic. He signals for us to follow him and we end up lurking behind some curtains covering the large balcony windows. The doors to the balcony are open so we can see outside.

There sitting on an ornate marble bench is Tenel Ka and Jacen. They are whispering to each other and laughing. Valin turns to us, "Do you think he'll try to kiss her this time?"

Ben shook his head. "No, but I wish he would. I am pretty sure that much sexual tension can be fatal."

Jaden and I laughed, but then dived behind the curtains when Jacen looked up.

"Okay, I'll put down twenty credits that he'll get the kiss," I told them. "I mean the guy is in his early twenties. He can't possibly be that shy." I looked at my brother. "Didn't he date anybody at the Academy before he was knighted?"

"Lusa?" Valin offered referring to the female Chironian that attended the academy with us.

I have to cover my mouth with my hand to hide my laughter. "No Lusa had a thing for Raynar."

Ben gave me a curious grin. "How would that work?"

Jaden made a face. "Please Ben, don't put disturbing xenosexual images into my mind…but to answer your question…I assume it would involve a step ladder."

Valin laughed and snorted his ale up through his nose.

"I'm just kidding, guys," my brother said. He turned to me and grinned. "I'll take that bet. I think Jacen will wuss out."

So we watch and I am positive I am going to win. The proximity of the two Jedi were getting closer and closer. Jacen turns to talk to her and their faces are centimeters apart from each other. Then he leans in—and I just know I won twenty credits—and then he turns away with a nervous cough.

I swear Tenel Ka looked mad. I don't know why she's waiting for Jacen to make the first move. She is a descendent of a Dathomir witch. She should just dress up in leather, grab Jacen, claim him as her mate, toss him on the bed and then ravish him. Ha! I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

My brother is holding out his hand. "Pay up." I glowered at him as I reached into my pocket and pulled out a twenty-credit chip.

Well, that was a bust.

Fortunately, after dinner I did find a few nice, non-related, ladies to dance with me.

Now that Anakin is married, he will be moving out of the bachelor quarters… and I can move in with my brother and out of my parents' quarters. Yeah! No longer do I have to live under their watchful eye.

_**Party!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Entry 13**_

Finally! I moved out of my parents' apartment and into the Bachelor Quarters! I am Jaden's roommate now. Unfortunately, it is not the big party bachelor apartment that I expected. Jaden studies a lot and gets mad when I play the HoloNet too loud or my HoloGames…or just about anything that makes a noise. He takes his studies very seriously. But despite our differences, we overall got along…until a female came into our lives.

And by female I mean a four-month-old pitten my brother brought home one day. It is a fuzzy brown-and-gray striped four-legged feline-like creature that is small enough to be held in my two hands. Jaden explained he wanted to get one for the last two years but Anakin was allergic to pittens. I told him that was fine as long as he took care of it and it left me alone.

I really don't care for pittens and I was determined to avoid the creature, but the more I tried to evade the animal the more it followed me around. It would rub against my legs or climb into my lap when I was watching the HoloNet. One day I was sitting on the couch typing on my datapad when the pitten walked across the keypad. That pitten's paws must have hit the exact sequence of datapad keys needed to cause the viewscreen to suddenly turn sideways. Jaden thought that was _'cute'_. I thought it was annoying. It took me an hour to figure out how to fix the screen.

A week later I was sleeping peacefully when suddenly something landed on my chest. I think I am being attacked, so I roll out of bed and call my lightsaber to my hand, igniting it. From the greenish glow of the saber I could see that damn pitten on my bed, her eyes wide and so frightened her fur was standing on end so she looked like a hairy puffball (I was told this is a defense mechanism to make it look bigger to predators). I deactivate my saber and use the Force to turn on the lights.

"Jaden! Get your pitten!"

Jaden finally dragged his butt out of his bed and came in to recovered his pet. "There's my little fuzzy pitten! Come here Fuzzy." He said this in a ridiculous sing-song voice, which is bad enough, but then he picked up the animal and kissed it on the nose. Gross.

Then one day I am lying on the couch taking a nap when I feel sharp little claws massaging my head and something licking my hair. I reach back and pick up the young pitten by the nape of her neck.

"Jaden," I said to my brother who was watching the HoloNet. "Why is Fuzzy doing pitten push-ups on my head and licking my hair?"

He looked up and laughed. "I think she was taken away from her mother too early and she is trying to find a teat."

"Ah, gross." I ran my hand through my hair wet with pitten spit. "You have to get rid of this thing."

"She's a baby, she will grow up to be a normal anti-social pitten," Jaden said with a laugh.

I just glared at him as I left to take a shower…that is one place the pitten won't follow.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Entry 14_**

This is a day for the record books. I didn't know it was possible to irritate so many people in one day.

It was the weekend and Jaden and I return to our apartment after lunch. We walk in and there is Jaden's pet pitten, Fuzzy, lying motionless on the floor and looking very much dead.

"Fuzzy!" Jaden yells out. He runs over and scoops up the small animal. Despite the fact that I don't like pittens…that one was growing on me, so I was also upset.

"Is she dead?" I asked my brother.

He is checking her out and we notice she was breathing. "No, she's unconscious, but I don't know why." Suddenly we saw movement on the floor. Jaden made a hilarious and very unmanly yelping noise before he jumped on the couch. He's stood on the cushions and pointed to the floor. "Watch it! I think that is Jacen's Crystal Snake."

I don't want to get bit so I jump on the couch is probably stupid because I am positive that snakes can climb up onto a couch.

"Where is it?" That snake is translucent looking and can blend in with its environment. Its venom can also cause a person to go unconscious for an hour or two. We needed to catch it before we were bitten. I look around the room and see an empty storage box that I kept from my move to the apartment. Fuzzy liked hiding in the box and then jumping out to attack me when I walked by. I reach out with the Force and grab the box and brought it to my hands.

"Do you see it?" I asked Jaden.

"There!" he said while pointing to the floor right under us. I jump down and drop the box over the reptile.

"That is the second time that snake has escaped." I told Jaden.

He laughed. "Remember when it bit Dad? He was passed out for an hour."

"Yeah, but dad did think it was funny." I pulled out my comlink and contact Jacen. "Jacen this is Talon. Your stupid Crystal Snake is in my apartment. If you're not here in ten minutes I am going to take out my lightsaber and use it for target practice."

That's a lie. I wouldn't have killed it, but I thought that would get him moving. And I guess it did because he was over in five minutes holding a small reptile carrier.

"You better have not hurt him." Jacen said to me irately…like it's my fault his snake is loose. I'm the one who should be mad.

"It's alright," I said as my brother climbed off the couch.

Jacen takes the carrier and opens it up. He then gently lifts the box and got ready to nab the creature with the Force…but it's not there. Jacen lifts the box up all the way and the snake is gone. So we are all looking for the runaway snake when something catches my eye. Jacen is still holding the box and the snake is crawling out from it. The box had flap tops that were folded into the box. That snake must have been hiding behind the flap…because just then it slithered out and bit Jacen on the hand. He looked down at his hand, wide-eyed and slack jawed…right before he collapsed on the floor and the snake slithered off across our floor.

Jaden jumps on the couch again while clutching his pitten and I use the Force to put the box over the snake again. So now I have an upset brother clutching an unconscious pitten and a unconscious overconfident cousin lying on the floor. What to do?

I move over to my desk and grab a permanent marker.

"What are you doing?" Jaden asked me.

"I thought we would draw some Zabrak phallic symbols on his face for what his snake did to Fuzzy."

My brother gives me an incredulous look. "What are you, twelve?"

I just laugh. "I wasn't really going to do that…although that would be funny. I was just going to see how he would look with a mustache."

"No!" my brother said firmly.

"How about putting his hand in a bowl of warm water."

"Not unless you like cleaning up urine," Jaden replied.

I look at Jaden. "Okay, what _do_ you want me to do?"

"Take him back to his room and I am going to bring Fuzzy to Cilghal. Maybe she can check her out."

My brother is no fun. "Fine." I pick up Jacen and toss him over my shoulder. I gestured to the box. "You better put something on top of that so it doesn't get out again."

I then leave the apartment carrying my cousin. On the way to his room I come across Jysella Horn.

"What happened to Jacen?"

"Crystal Snake," I responded.

"Again," she laughed. "Where are you bringing him?"

"To his room."

"Wait, wait." She says. "I want Tenel Ka to see this." She walked down the hall until she was standing in front of her room. "Just put him in here while I find her."

I shrug my shoulders. "Fine."

So I bring Jacen into the room and get him ready to see the girls.

_A little later…._

I went back to my apartment and managed to get that snake into the cage Jacen had provided and I delivered the animal to his quarters. About a half hour later Jaden comes running into the room with his still unconscious pitten in hand, all red in the face and sweating.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I was coming back and Jacen started chasing me saying he was going to kill me. He's gone all darkside!"

I was going to laugh but a loud bang sounded at our door like somebody was trying to break it down.

"Open up or I will slice up the door with my lightsaber!" Jacen called out.

I looked at my brother. "I guess we should open it."

My brother brought his pitten to his room as I open the door for my irate cousin. He muscled his way in and glares at me. "Where's Jaden?"

I point to the back room. Jaden comes out looking nervous. "What is it Jacen?"

"What is it? I know your pitten got hurt but what you did in retaliation was way over the top!"

My brother is all confused and flustered. "After you got bit I brought my pitten to Cilghal." He pointed to me. "Talon was supposed to bring you to your room…didn't he?"

Jacen turned to me and I swear his eyes turned all Sithy yellow…but that might have just been the overhead lights playing tricks on me. "You did that to me?"

"Did what?" Jaden asked.

Jacen points an accusing finger in my direction. "He stripped me down to my boxers and left me on Jysella's couch and wrote this on my chest." He then lifted up his shirt to expose an inscription made in permanent marker; _"Jacen loves Tenel Ka"_ I even put down a little heart and smiley face. Okay maybe that was something a twelve-year-old would do. "Jysella brought Tenel Ka to the room and they both saw me like this!"

Jaden was standing there and biting his lower lip. He is trying so hard not to laugh that his face was turning red. Finally he burst out laughing. "I'm sorry Jacen…it's just…" He takes a couple deep breaths and collects himself. "That was wrong of Talon."

He turned to me and glared. "Are we going to settle this like men?"

I laughed. "What? Are you talking about fighting?"

"Hand to hand, in the gym."

"Fine," I said as I motioned to the door. "After you."

Jacen stepped out to the hall and I shut the door behind him and lock it. I can't believe he fell for that old trick! He starts pounding on the door again so I call Corran Horn who is Jacen's master for help. After a few minutes I hear the two Jedi outside talking. I can feel Jacen's anger through the Force and I know I went a tiny bit too far.

Corran tells me to open up, so I do. He drags me to the gym where I get my butt thoroughly handed to me by Jacen. My cousin is really, really good at hand-to-hand combat. He told me there were twenty very painful submission holds that he knew and he then proceeded to demonstrate half of them on my body. I became intimately acquainted with the arm-triangle choke, an armbar, a kneebar, a hammerlock, a calf slicer, and the infamous leg triangle choke. That last one was particularly humiliating.

I can't use the Force to help me because of the ysalamiri in the gym, so I am all huffing and puffing and sweating like a Gamorrian. Being Force-blind is not fun. I don't know how my father tolerates it.

Jacen is looking all smug and vindicated. Okay, he deserves some payback…although revenge is not supposed to be a Jedi thing.

So I go home. When Jaden sees me he starts pulling out bacta patches and practices his pre-med stuff on me. I looked in the mirror and cringed. Jacen really messed up my handsome face and what's really irritating is Jacen looked fine when he left the mat. I really need to get Corran to teach me some of those techniques.

About ten minutes later Jaden is done patching me up. "You deserved it!" he proclaimed. "That was an immature and cruel thing to do to him. You know he likes Tenel Ka. Now you humiliated him in front of her."

I snort. "Hey, Jacen doesn't look bad with his shirt off. I thought I would just give Tenel Ka a little preview. Maybe it will speed up things."

"Still it's wrong." Jaden looks over to the floor and noticed the box was no longer there. He turned to me. "Where's his snake?"

"I put it in his apartment."

Jaden looks at me suspiciously. "Where in his apartment?"

I turn away laughing.

Jaden knew I was up to something, so pulls out his comlink. "Jacen! Jacen! Pick up!" He looks up to me again. "Where did you put it?!"

"In the 'fresher." I finally say with a chuckle.

_And..._ that's how I got two weeks of room confinement from my Uncle Luke and a second demonstration from Jacen of the other most painful submission holds I didn't experience the first time around.

Neither were pleased that Jacen was found unconscious in the bathroom with his pants around his ankles.

The good news is...Fuzzy made a full recovery.


	13. Chapter 13

_**ENTRY 15**_

I am finally on my first Jedi Mission to a combat area. I have done a lot of training in the field and at the Temple, but this is the first time I am actually in a situation where people would really want to kill me.

Since I am now no longer a minor I was able to tag along with Ben during his trials. He should be knighted after this mission.

I'm really excited to go on this expedition with Ben and my father. Dad is Ben's Master and they have been going on missions together since Ben was fourteen. I was always a little jealous because I was not allowed to participate in any hostilities until I turned eighteen. That was my mother's rule, not the Jedi Order's.

My mom said she did not bring two children into the world so they could become child soldiers. She sees Jedi younglings killing others as an atrocity. I know my mother loves my Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara, but she is appalled that Ben was allowed to accompany my dad into firefights and other nasty situations at such a young age.

I don't know what my father thought about the subject because he rarely goes counter to my mother. He may be a Jedi Master in the Temple, but Mom's the master of our home. And I don't say that to disrespect my father. One has to understand the situation…he's gone on Jedi or GA Military missions…a lot. He said it would cause extreme stress in the family if he left Mom to take care of the home and family for months at a time alone and then he wandered back to their quarters and expected to take charge and do things his way…only to leave a few weeks later for another two month deployment…after screwing up her entire system. He said Mom is the commander of the home front and that means if she doesn't want me to go into combat until I am an adult…then so be it.

Anyway, my first mission was to the planet Taris where the GA military had tracked a group of terrorists to an outpost in the middle of a large city. The terrorist had barricaded themselves into a building and had taken hostages. Artillery couldn't be used within the city… and even if they could the hostages would perish.

We were transported through the city by a Military Police armored personnel speeder. It had a driver and a gunner manning twin turboblasters attached to the roof of the vehicle.

We pulled up to an abandoned building that was used as a field headquarters. A stocky muscular soldier ran up to the speeder. "Are these my Jedi?"

The driver sneered. "No, they are a three homeless guys I dressed up in Jedi robes."

The other soldier laughed. "I see sitting all day in the safety zone has made you a comedian." He opened the speeder's blaster proof doors and motioned for us to get out. My Dad squeezed his hulking body out of the vehicle. He stood up to his full height, towering the soldier. The man smirked as he stuck out his hand to my father. "Corporal Rycus, EOD. We met before on Null."

EOD means explosive ordnance disposal…he is the guy that takes apart bombs.

My dad shook his hand. "I remember. It's good to see you again." He looked at the man's hand and grinned. "And you still have all your fingers."

Corporal Rycus laughed. "That's the mark of a good EOD Tech." He released his grip and then went back to the driver. "I'll let you get back to your cushy job. Remember you can't spell wimp without MP."

The driver scowled at Corporal Rycus. "Well, you can't spell….idiot without EOD."

'_Huh?'_

Rycus laughed and punched the driver on the shoulder. "See you later Rik." He turned to us. "He's my brother-in-law. I have to give him a hard time."

"What's the situation?" my father asked.

The Corporal gave us a sitrep as he walked up to the forward operating center. "There are snipers on the upper floors. They're not amateurs. They're using a slugthrower and obviously shooting through tiny loopholes because we haven't been able to pinpoint their location. It is much easier to suppress the muzzle flash from a slugthrower than a blaster any day." Rycus hesitated for a moment. "It's not a normal slugthrower…it's a Blaster Buster. So you can see our problem."

My father turned to me and Ben and explained a Blaster Buster was a slugthrower that could fire repulsor and heat sensor equipped slugs that will home in on a recently fired blaster. Because the slugs had repulsors it could make turns around corners to seek out the blaster. It usually wasn't fatal to the soldier holding the weapon, but when it blew up the blaster it usually took off the hand of the man holding the weapon. Injured soldiers were often more valuable than a kill. The terrorists knew the GA military would temporarily leave a dead man during a retreat (although it is greatly frowned upon), but they never left an injured man behind. It usually took two soldiers to evac one injured…and therefore pulling three military men temporarily out of action.

My father explained that the heat sensor slugs had to be adjusted to specific heat gradients specific for various models of blasters…and they were very ineffective against lightsabers.

We walked up some stairs to the second floor of an old warehouse where we met up with a small group of military men examining blueprints…probably for the building where the hostages are being held.

"They're here LT."

A young lieutenant who didn't look much older than Ben turned to greet us. "Thanks for coming. I'm Lieutenant Ludoga." He extended his hand and my father shook it. "Jedi Master Tantiss," my father said and then motioned toward me and Ben. "And with me are Jedi Apprentices Ben Skywalker and my son Talon Tantiss."

The Lieutenant looked impressed. "Skywalker? I heard Luke Skywalker's son might be coming. It is such an honor to meet you." He then walked up and shook my hand. Ha! Ben was not amused.

You really can't blame the guy. Dad and Ben have bright red hair and I look just like Luke Skywalker.

"I'm Talon Tantiss," I said then pointed to Ben. "This is Ben Skywalker."

The Lieutenant gave me a confused look but then pulled himself together and offered his hand to Ben. "My apologies." He pumped Ben's hand enthusiastically. "It is an honor to meet both of you."

My father chuckled and then got to business. "How can we help?"

The Lieutenant gave him a grim look. "I was hoping to get you and your apprentices do a R.E.B.J."

Dad must have seen my confusion. "That is Rapid Entry by Jedi. We go in lightsabers swinging and clear a path."

From the corner of the room I heard Corporal Rycus snicker and whisper to another enlisted man. "I thought that meant Really Egotistical Braggart Jedi."

The Lieutenant scowled and turned to discipline the man, but was interrupted by my father. "That's only when I have Jedi Apprentice Raynar Thul with me."

Ben and my Dad started laughing and I realized I must have missed some private joke, but I could imagine what they meant. Raynar Thul is the son of Alderaanian nobels and he made sure everybody knew it. He's a spoiled and arrogant Apprentice with a flair for brightly colored robes. Obviously he made an impression on the military men in the field…a bad impression.

Dad turned serious and looked to the men in the room. "We'll make a plan of attack and then move out."

I will write more when I get back from the mission. This should be exciting.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Entry 16**_

I finished my first combat mission. It _was _extremely exciting, but right about now I wish I could do a memory rub on myself in order to forget everything that happened.

It started out okay. Dad and Ben decided on a route of entry and our plan was fairly simple…run up, deflect blasterbolts or slugs, pull the doors open and then enter making as much noise as possible. As we made this huge distraction the Galactic Alliance's Special Covert Action Team (or GASCAT) would move in and secure the hostages. I was told the men were already in position. They were wearing stealth bodysuits to hide their heat signature and it could render the wearer visually undetectable for a short period of time. I never really understood the technology behind it, but when the suit is activated it supposedly blends light sound and electromagnetic waves around the wearer making them invisible (I wouldn't mind getting one of those. I could really put a scare into my brother).

Anyway, although we are actually going to attack the enemy, we are also acting as a diversion. We should have worn tunics with big neon targets painted on the front because our job was to be shot at while the real heroes-currently hiding in underground steam tunnels or ventilation shafts-went in for the rescue.

Using infrared sensors the GA troopers had tried to figure out where the hostages were held. Unfortunately, the terrorists were using a number of countermeasures such as sensor scramblers and the use of heat sticks to confuse the sensing equipment. The bottom line was nobody knew where the hostages were located. Once we entered we had to either kill the terrorists or at least keep them busy long enough for the small search and rescue team to sneak in, locate and evacuate the prisoners.

Finally the time came to go. My father put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a tight smile. "You ready, son?"

"Yeah." I sounded confident, but I have to admit I was nervous. I look over to Ben and he gave me a classic Skywalker smile. He's not nervous. All I can sense from him is a eerie calmness in the Force. It is an inner tranquility that the Grand Master often tried to teach me but I have so far failed to emulate.

We moved out of the field headquarters and because we wanted to be noticed we walked toward the building side-by-side with lightsabers blazing. Immediately we started taking fire by the slug thrower. We can't see the slugs rushing toward us, but we can sense them in the Force and I can hear stray slugs wiz by me overhead. We cut down the projectiles, but because these were exploding slugs we had to use the Force to shield ourselves from shrapnel. Despite the heavy deluge of gunfire in our direction we were able to make it to the front doors.

We all had comlinks screwed into our ears and we can hear updates on the GASCAT team. They were in and clearing the back of the building and moving to the higher floors to take out the snipers and look for the hostages. Our job was to clear the front part of the building. Everything was going as planned and I started to feel very proud of myself…even a bit cocky. I was able to hold my own against the enemy and help out my fellow Jedi. It felt good.

"Talon," Ben said over the din of slugthrower fire. "Cover us while we pull these doors open."

I nodded at him and scan the building above us for enemy fire which wasn't much since we were now outside the shooter's line of sight. My father and Ben closed their eyes and their faces distorted into a look of fierce concentration. I see the double doors in front of the building shake violently before they were forcefully yanked off their hinges and thrown across the street. "Now!" Ben said to me indicating it was our time to rush in and make a lot of noise.

I followed behind Dad and Ben all pumped up and confident. My green lightsaber was blazing, and then…I hate to admit it…I stopped dead in my tracks and froze at the sight before me. We found the hostages, or what was left of them. They were tied to chairs facing the door. Most were stripped of their clothing exposing the horrific wounds and mutilation they suffered. I have heard the term 'skinned alive' used metaphorically, but this wasn't a figurative use of the term, and they were obviously alive when it happened. Their mouths were taped shut, but their eyes…the ones who still had their eyes…showed the sheer horror of their demise. Before I knew what was happening I doubled over and vomited.

I am not sure how long I was out of action but I eventually became aware we were under heavy blaster fire.

"Talon! Talon!" I could hear Ben's strained voice. "Pull it together! I can't keep the blaster fire off you forever."

I look up and Ben's blue lightsaber is a blur of motion as he deflected blaster bolts away from both of us. Ben's usual boyish freckled-faced appearance was gone and replaced by an intense expression that made him look much older than his twenty-one years...and I was amazed at his immense power in the Force; it was as if the Grand Master himself was next to me. If that GA Lieutenant was around to see Ben fight there would have been absolutely no confusion whatsoever as to who was the_ true _son of Skywalker.

My face flushed as I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth. "Sorry Ben," I am able to croak out before I brought my lightsaber up and started deflecting the blaster bolts coming my way.

I can feel a jumble of emotions coming from my father. There was shock, sadness and a grim, intense resolve to end this now. The room we were in was probably once used as a warehouse. There was a one-story office that was built onto the empty floor of the large three-story room. Gunmen were positioned on the top of the building and there were also a couple terrorists on a small access skywalk located a little over two meters from the ceiling.

My Dad ran toward the terrorists positioned on the office roof, deflecting blasterbolts as he moved, before he leapt the three meters to the roof of the building. He decapitated the first man he came to and then he brought his oversized lightsaber crashing down on the other man's head. I have seen holovids where men were cleaved in half by a lightsaber, but I have never seen it done from head to groin. The sight was gruesome and the bile crept up my throat once again.

Ben stretched out his hand and used the Force to pull the other men off the skywalk. My father cleanly sliced them in two before they hit the ground.

Finally there was silence with the exception of the hum of the lightsabers and my heavy breathing.

"Tantiss here," I heard my father's voice as he called into his comlink. "The entry room is clear. Four terrorists are dead. There are eleven other bodies, possibly the hostages. Two of them look like children."

It wasn't until the last sentence that I heard my father's voice falter.

He shut off the comlink and calmly walked off the roof of the office, using the Force to cushion his fall. There was a clatter of boots as GA Military personnel swarmed the room, but I barely registered their presence. I was still in a fog. I remember Ben putting a hand on my shoulder and saying something to me, but I don't remember what was said. I do remember my father coming up to me and pulling me out of the building.

I was so embarrassed. I had let everybody down. I let Ben down, my Master Mara Jade Skywalker, the Grand Master and worst of all, my father. The shame was so intense that my face heated uncomfortably as the blood rushed to my head. My dad's hand as firmly clutching my shoulder as he steered me away from the commotion to a quiet place where I assumed he would tell me how disappointed he was.

We went to an abandoned public square that had duracrete benches surrounded an old decrepit fountain. My father guided me to a bench and gestured for me to sit. He sat down and stared at me silently for a moment before he talked. "Talon…that was not something you should have seen on your first time out. What happened in there was awful."

I dropped my head. "I know I did awful. I'm sorry Dad. I could have gotten Ben killed."

"No, no, what happened to the hostages was awful." My father reached over and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Talon, you pulled yourself together after a few seconds. You did fine."

I shook my head. "No I didn't. Ben didn't hesitate. I shouldn't have." I paused for a moment. "If Mom had let me train in real combat situations earlier…"

I didn't get to finish my sentence. My father's hand—that seconds earlier was giving me a reassuring squeeze—now clamped down on me painfully. He looked me directly in the eye and glared intensely. "Don't you dare blame your mother for anything that happened today." He pointed toward the building holding the dead hostages. "Seeing the depths of human depravity like we did today changes a man. Not one soldier that entered that building today will forget what he saw. It will haunt their sleep, it will cause anxiety attacks and trouble coping…and I'm talking about hardened combat soldiers."

He must have seen me flinch at his grip because he let go of my shoulder and gave me an apologetic look. "It changes men," he said softly. "Your mother and I wanted you to have the chance at a non-traumatic, un-kriffed up childhood before something horrific like this warped your view of the galaxy. A happy childhood is something a lot of us didn't have. Your Aunt Mara was raised as the Emperor's Hand, your Uncle Luke lived in harsh desert conditions, and I never had a childhood. You deserved to have some nice youthful memories before the horror of war was thrust upon you."

His words made me feel better, but not by much. "Why were my cousins allowed to train in real world situations if it's so bad?"

My father sat back and took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "When you are a Solo or a Skywalker you are a target for kidnappers, assassins and nutball Jedi stalkers. Your cousins needed to be able to protect themselves at a very young age. You are a Tantiss and we don't have the problem with notoriety." He gave me a small smile. "Excluding some lovechild sleemo stories, we're unknowns…and that's good! If you think being a celebrity Jedi is a blessing, think again."

"I know." I said as I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. "We're lucky."

My father laughed. "You are damn right we're lucky. Not only do we avoid the publicity, but also you have a huge extended family compared to your cousins. You have your mother's family…grandparents that dote on you and your brother. You also have your mother's brothers and their kids and all her cousins."

Dad paused and looked to the ground before he stood. "Don't let your performance today get to you. You did great for a first time out. I'm proud of you."

Dad left me sitting there. It was nice of him to say I did well, but I know I didn't. I swore right then and there that I wouldn't fail again. I promised myself I would train harder and longer. Never again would another Jedi have to protect me while I stood frozen like a dewback in the speeder headlights.

_Never again!_


	15. Chapter 15

_**ENTRY 17**_

That was an awkward flight home. I spent most of the time meditating so I didn't have to talk to my father or Ben. I am still terribly embarrassed by my performance and who knows how long I will be haunted by the memories of what I saw that day.

I know I swore that I would become a better Jedi, but now I am wondering if I even want to be a Jedi at all. Is this going to be my life? Called in to horrible situations, rushing into danger and killing people?

My parents often told me they didn't care what I did for a living as long as it was honest work…and I know they meant it. I don't think my father would be upset at all if I gave up being a Jedi to become a doctor, an engineer or even a chef like my mother.

Still, I have been training to be a Jedi since I was a small child. It is hard to give up on something I've spent over a decade training to become.

I need to think about this some more.

* * *

_**ENTRY 18**_

My brother came into my room to see me a few days after my return. I was lying on my bed with my eyes closed. Jaden's pitten, Fuzzy, was sleeping on my chest making a rumbling noise that pittens make when they're happy.

"Hey, Talon. You awake?" he asked.

"I'm meditating," I lied.

He scoffed. "Yeah right, you like meditating as much as Dad does."

I opened my eyes to look at him. "What do you want Jaden?"

My brother came into the room and grabbed my desk chair. He spun it around and sat in it backwards with his arms propped top of the backrest. "Your Master and the Grand Master asked me to come and talk to you. They figured you would open up to your brother."

I had to laugh. "Why would they think that?"

Jaden grinned. "Because neither of them grew up with a little brother. They are a bit clueless."

I rolled my eyes. "They have three sons and a daughter, you would think they would figure out siblings don't always like each other."

He shrugged. "They have the twins with that creepy Force bond." He gave me a wide smirk. "Maybe they think all brothers are that…chummy."

I chuckled. I love my cousins Jak and Owen, but their closeness is weird and it's not just their tendency to finish each other's sentences. They are always together and they gesture the same, have similar speech patterns, mannerisms and the same laugh. I am fairly certain those two communicate through the Force…either that or they are masters at picking up non-verbal clues from each other.

"Talon, everybody is worried about you since you returned from your first mission. You have been withdrawn and you haven't gotten into any trouble in days…so they know this is serious. If you don't have a heart-to-heart talk with me they are going to make you see a Jedi trauma healer, also known as a psychiatrist…like they did with me after my first blood-filled mission."

I looked over to him while running my hands down Fuzzy's soft fur. I like being around the pitten when I am nervous or upset…for some reason the animal calms me. "You had to see a counselor? I didn't know that."

Jaden looked down at the ground. "Well, I did." He looked back and gave me an amused look. "You really don't want to see Jedi Healer Rogek…I don't know what she learned at the University of Coruscanti about human behavior, but she was positive my anxiety and depression had something to do with an unknown trauma I endured during my childhood which stunted my psychosexual development. Apparently my toilet training was too harsh or something." My brother laughed. "Of course, it couldn't be that I saw twenty men die on my first mission, most of them burned and torn apart from an artillery barrage. Nah…it couldn't be that." He shook his head in disbelief. "So unless you want a long, deep discussion with a female Twi'lek about what's going on in your subconscious mind…I suggest you talk to me…and then maybe we can go out and have a few ales before doing something really stupid to irritate the Grand Master." He hesitated for a moment. "That'll be the only way he'll know you are back to normal. Maybe we can hide a crystal snake in Jacen's bathroom again."

I smirked at that comment before I sighed dramatically. I know Jaden is right. The Jedi have recently started looking into anxiety and stress disorders within their ranks. A person can only slice so many people in half before it starts messing with their mind. If I don't talk to him I will be talking to Jedi Rogek.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"What's bothering you?" Jaden said. "It can't be anything I haven't experienced."

I scratched behind the pitten's ears and she happily started massaging her claws into my shirt. "I froze when I saw the dead hostages. Not only that but I had to watch my own father slice and dice terrorists with his lightsaber." I paused for a long moment. "It creeped me out a bit. I knew dad had killed people while in combat, but I always pictured him with a blaster shooting people…something less personal than splitting a guy in half with his lightsaber."

Jaden gave me a look of understanding. "It's disturbing to know someone you love is capable of such violence, but you know dad…he's loving and caring. He kills people who are trying to murder him. And he doesn't like it at all. He told me. He said he hates using the lightsaber, but when the higher-ups want Jedi going in for the shock-and-awe factor…nothing beats a lightsaber to scare the crap out of the enemy."

"I guess."

"Talon, you don't need to become a Jedi. Or if you do, you don't have to be a Guardian like Dad. You can be a healer, pilot, security expert, instructor, Consular, or slicer. The possibilities are endless."

"I want to be like Dad." I told him. "I see how everybody respects him in the Temple. I saw how he interacted with the soldiers in the field. There was a camaraderie there that I liked." I lifted Fuzzy off my chest as I swung my legs off the bed so I was in a sitting position. I kept the pitten in my lap, petting her. "I think I am mostly embarrassed about puking my guts out while Ben saved my sorry butt."

Jaden let out a loud laugh. "You puked! Nobody told me that. That's funny."

I frowned and put the pitten down on the bed before I jumped up and punched Jaden on the shoulder.

"Owww," he laughed as he stood up and put distance between us. "Don't get to upset brother. I don't want you losing your lunch."

"That's it, you're dead." I chased after Jaden getting him into a headlock.

He was still laughing. "There's the Talon Tantiss I know and don't love." He managed to break free and backed up holding his hands out defensively. "Talon, why don't we go out and celebrate the return of my obnoxious brother. I'll buy."

The anger drained away from me and I smiled at the thought of getting out of the Temple for a while. "Okay, as long a you're buying."


	16. Chapter 16

_**ENTRY 19**_

Jaden and I went out that night after swinging by the Skywalker quarters and getting Ben to come with us. I think Jaden thought it would be best that I spent time with Ben…so we could maybe talk about what happened on the mission. Jaden had some college friends that were going to a celebration at the lower levels of Coruscant called the Fashinfest. The Fashinfest is a religious festival, which is low on religion and heavy on debauchery. It is part of the Duken Religion. I was told the Dukenites were a small religious group who would spend one month each year meditating and daylight fasting during a time called the _phase of purification. _During this phase the Duken followers take a vow of silence, they abstain from sex and they don't eat during the day with the exception of one small meal after sunset.

Of course, the_ phase of purification_ is of _NO_ interest to young men like us from the upper levels…not at all. We like the week _prior_, which is called the Fashinfest. During this festival the Dukenites get as drunk as possible, party on the streets and make out with just about any sentient being that moves. Anything goes that week. It's such a popular event that probably seventy-five percent of the festival participants don't even know what a Dukenite is or what their religion entails.

I don't think my parents would approve of us going to the fest, but what they don't know won't hurt them. At least there will be three Jedi together, so we'll have somebody to watch our backs. It is best that upper level people go in groups because of pickpockets and hoodlums who like to rob drunken tourists.

Jaden is navigating via his small datapad. He was told a good place to go is a tavern called the _Shrill Veermok. _What a sweet name. A veermok is a large, mean primate that was native to Naboo, but some of the exotic creatures were brought to Coruscant for zoos and exotic pets and later escaped. Rumor has it there is a population of these predators roaming the lower levels of Coruscant.

"There it is," Ben said as he pointed down the walkway. We moved toward the tavern, jostling our way down a street that was wall-to-wall people. Most of the beings in attendance were clutching drinks in one hand and throwing credit chips at the ladies in exchange for them flashing their breasts. That's illegal during Fashinfest and Law Enforcement will arrest women doing it and often the guys urging them on. Although there is a temptation to stop and watch the strip show we don't need a run in with the law so we kept moving.

We each had bought a low-alcohol drink from a tavern down the street. It was some blue concoction in a clear polymer mug that had little lights underneath that made the drink pulsate in color. It tasted good and it allowed us to party and remain relatively sober.

We finally made it to the _Shrill Veermok_ and elbowed our way to the rear of the tavern where there was a dance floor and intense nightclub laser lights that probably caused more than one patron to have seizures. Most of the crowd was up in the front of the establishment because walking to tavern-to-tavern was the mainstay during the fest. We found a table and sat down and nursed our drinks.

"Grab three more chairs," my brother insisted.

"Why?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes and looked at me like I was stupid. "For the girls. That's what we came here for…to meet the ladies."

I grabbed a couple chairs from the empty table next to us. I am not inexperienced when it comes to dating. I dated a few female Jedi in the past few years, but I wasn't really confident when it came to picking up strangers and I can't see Ben or my shy brother Jaden doing any better.

"So when are these elusive women going to materialize?" Ben asked with a chuckle.

I looked over to Ben and cringed. The red laserlight was shining over him making his reddish-gold hair look bright flaming red…and the light actually brought out the freckles on his face. Oh boy, this is going to be a rough night for my cousin.

"We go up and invite some ladies to sit with us." Jaden said.

Ben laughed. "Yeah, that's going to happen."

To my surprise Jaden stood. "Well, I didn't come here to sit in the back room polishing my lightsaber. I'll go get some girls."

He walks off to the bar. Ben and I look at each other amused. This is going to be fun to see my big brother get shot down.

"Oh Force," Ben mumbled a few minutes later as he pointed in the direction Jaden had went.

I look up and there is my brother returning with three lovely ladies. Two humans and one very well proportioned red Twi'lek in tight, tight clothing. "Oh wow," I gasped.

My brother had his arm around a petite brunette so I figured the other human and Twi'lek would be our dates. "Which one you want?" I whispered to Ben.

He gave me a smile that looked just like a Han Solo grin. "Red is my favorite color."

Jaden arrived and started introducing the ladies. He gestured with his head to the woman he had an arm around. "This is Kelli." He motioned to a tall, buxom blond. "This is Sara. And the beautiful Twi'lek is Niki."

Ben did not hesitate. He put his hand out to the Twi'lek and smiled. "Nice to meet you Niki. I'm Ben. Would you like a seat?" He guided her to the chair next to him and Sara came around to where I sat.

"Hello Sara," I said with a smile. "I'm Jaden's brother Talon."

She smiled and sat next to me. I signaled for the waiter and ordered drinks for the ladies. The music changed from a hard beat to an exotic dance tune. One that was more conducive to provocative dances like daggering or Kriff dancing. To my surprise Jaden grabs Kelli's hand and pulls her to the dance floor. Ben and I stared at him slack jawed as he busted out his dance moves.

"What the hell is he doing?" Ben asked and even in the red laser light I can tell he was blushing.

I looked at Jaden and Kelli on the dance floor. "If it wasn't for the fact that their clothes are on I would have sworn they were having sex standing up."

"Where did he learn to dance like that?" Ben asked sounding bemused.

The red Twi'lek turned to Ben. "In dance class, silly."

"My brother goes to dance class?" I couldn't take my eyes off the dance floor I was so astonished.

"It is an extracurricular club at the college." Sara spoke up. "We are all students there and take dance lessons together."

Okay, now things were starting to add up. My brother didn't become the biggest pick-up artist in the galaxy, he knew these women from the University he attended.

"Jaden is the most popular dancer," Niki said. "There are not many men in the club and the women fight over him."

"Really!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Really," Sara said as she stood and pulled me out of my seat. "Come on I'll teach you."

I saw Niki pull a grinning Ben Skywalker out of his chair as they moved to the dance floor.

It would take too long for me to write all the crazy stuff that happened in the club that night, but I would like to point out a couple things. First of all, I really, really suck at dancing…and Ben is actually good. That Twi'lek was guiding him around the dance floor like they were attached at the hips…which they were half the time. She was a little shorter than Ben and her head would rest against his shoulder, her lekku twitching in pleasure, as Ben's hands clasped her backside.

I still can't believe my redheaded, freckled faced cousin had his hands all over the most beautiful female in the club! And she was loving it! What the hell! I felt like I was in _'Opposite World'_ where Ben and my shy brother became sex symbols and I was the Dug of the group.

Near the end of the evening I look over to Sara and Kelli and they are smashed. Which was odd since none of us had more than two or three drinks all night. Niki was still amiably chatting with Ben and looking completely sober. Either Twi'leks can really hold their liquor or she didn't drink as much as her friends.

Sara and Kelli announced they had to go to the 'fresher. I don't know why women go in groups, but they do. Either their bladders synchronize with each other when they are in close proximity or maybe they just want to talk about us guys. I can visualize Sara complaining about how that heavy-footed blond Jedi had busted two of her toes from repeatedly stepping on them while dancing.

"Hey Niki," I called out to Ben's date who was practically sitting on his lap. "How much did Sara and Kelli drink before we got here?"

She turned around and smiled. "Only one, but they're lightweights. I've only seen them drink once before and they were tipsy after one drink."

"Oh boy." I hate dealing with drunks. They either hate you or you're their_ 'very best friend in the galaxy' _and often those two opposite views can alternate within a matter of minutes.

Finally the two women returned and as they moved across the dance floor Sara starts slurring out the infamous Coruscanti mating call, known to all males galaxy-wide.

"I am soooooo drunk."

That caught the attention of two leering males that intercepted them before they reached our table. Jaden groaned as he got up. "Come on Talon. It's time to get the ladies home. They live in the school dorms."

So I stood and we walk over to these guys. They are lower-level locals from the looks of it. They are large, muscular men with tattoos all over their arms and greasy slicked back hair.

We came up along side of the ladies and reached out, putting our hands around their waists possessively. "The ladies are with us gentlemen," my brother said with a tight smile.

The local brutes didn't smile back. They gave us the most evil look I have seen since the last time I irritated Jacen. "Kriff off you two bluemilk-drinking, chunder-heads."

Now, that wasn't a nice thing to say.

"You kriff off, you mopak-eating di'kuts," Jaden shot back.

HA! What are they teaching my brother at that University?!

I noticed Ben wandered up while grinning. The last time we got to punch nerfherders like this was during Anakin's bachelor party.

The bigger of the two men hauled off to sock my brother, but Jaden quickly brought his hand up and grabbed the man's fist midswing, halting it a couple centimeters short from his face. The guy looks down at his fist in shock. Jaden is a big guy, but normally it would be physically impossible for somebody to do that…without the Force. Apparently, Jaden doesn't shy away from using the Force when he needs to.

"Go away," Ben said to the two men. The two brutes backed up a step looking confused before they wandered off in a stupor.

And...obviously my cousin has mastered the Jedi mind trick.

Kelli looked at Jaden and gave him a seductive smile as she felt his biceps. "Wow, you are strong."

That's what she said, but it came out somewhat slurred. We decided it was time to get these young ladies back home safely.

We took an airtaxi and guided our two overly intoxicated ladies friends up to their room. It turns out the two humans were roommates. I look over to Niki who was snuggled up to Ben as they walked together. His hand was around her waist and she had her hand tucked into Ben's back pocket. I noticed the top two buttons of her skimpy outfit were now undone giving Ben a clear view down her cleavage. They were chatting away happily. There wasn't so much as a slur to her voice, so she must have not had much to drink. Lucky Ben. Jaden and I get the two lushes.

We bring Sara and Kelli to their room. Ben says he will see us a little later; he was going to escort Niki to her room. We got the girls on their beds, but immediately Sara jumps up and rushes to the 'fresher. I then heard the sound of gagging and the young lady purging herself of her night's drinks.

"That's attractive," I said to Jaden. "Where did you meet her? At an Alcoholics Recovery meeting."

Jaden looked at Kelli who was lying on the bed looking very unconscious. "No, they are pre-med students like me. They didn't drink that much. I don't think they are used to drinking at all."

I moved toward the door. "Come on lets go."

Jaden shook his head. "I don't want to leave them like this. They could die. There is nothing worse than choking on your own vomit."

"Sure there is," I said.

He gave me a puzzled look. "And what would that be?"

"Choking on somebody else's vomit." I laughed. I guess Kelli wasn't completely unconscious because she started dry gagging at my comment. She bolted out of bed and ran to the bathroom and threw up in a trashcan since Sara was occupying the toilet.

My brother gave me an nasty look. "You're gross Talon."

"I just want to leave. It is starting to smell funky in here. If they are really that drunk we should call a medic."

Jaden made a face. "We should, but they are here on a religious scholarship. Kelli told me about it. I don't know if their religion allows excessive drunkeness."

"What?" I looked over to the puking pair. "They are obviously not Duken."

Jaden shook his head. "No they belong to a small spiritual order from the planet Axum called the _Sisters of the Sacred Way_."

I shook my head in disbelief. "You mean the spew sisters are really _'Sisters' _in the religious way?"

"No, they are believers, not spiritual teachers or clergy." My brother gave me a pleading look. "Let's just stay for a little while to make sure they're safe."

"Fine."

That was just great. We have to wait until they purged enough alcohol from their system before we could take off. I pulled a chair way from a desk and sat down. After an hour of hearing the ladies lying on the cool 'fresher floor sobbing, _'I will never, ever drink again' _there was a light rap on the door. I really hoped it wasn't the dorm attendant. I opened the door and found Ben outside with a concerned look on his face.

"What are you guys doing?" he pushed his way past me and looked around. "I hope you two don't intend on staying the night." His voice lowered to a whisper. "Talon, they're too drunk to consent to anything."

I made a disgusted face at my cousin. "Ben, I assure you I have no intention of taking a ride on the vomit comet." I pointed to the girls lying on the floor in the 'fresher. "What kind of sleemo do you think I am?"

"Ben, we just wanted to make sure they are alright before we left." Jaden clarified our intentions. He looked back at the girls. "They look okay now. Let's get them into bed, but put then on their stomach just to be safe."

"Okay," I sighed as I went and picked up my date. Her eyes opened halfway and she smiled.

"There's my sexy Jedi. Can I see your lightsaber?"

Oh Force. She smelled like vomit and her hands were _everywhere_. I dump her on a bed as fast as I could and backed away. Jaden did the same.

"Let's go," Jaden said. We walked out of their dorm room, closing the door behind us.

I turned to Ben. "I thought you went back to the Temple. What have you been doing for the last hour?"

Ben's face turned redder than his hair. "Just talking," he said softly.

_LIAR!_

Jaden grinned at our cousin. "By talking do you mean, '_Oh Niki, Niki! Spank me with your lekkus'_?"

Ben blushed a deeper red as he gave my brother a punch on the shoulder. "I thought you were pre-med. Everybody knows Twi'lek head-tails are very sensitive. It would cause her intense pain to use them as a whip."

I let out a loud laugh. "Since when did you become an expert in Twi'lek biology? Did you take an in depth crash course in the last hour?"

"Like I said, we talked for a while." He gave me a smug smile. "She found my red hair exotic. She said she rarely sees that color in human males."

"She found you exotic." I started laughing. "Details! I want details!"

Ben shook his head. "We were just talking. That is the only detail you are getting from me."

Shavit! My cousin is no fun.

We made it back to the Temple without any problems. Despite the disappointing end of the evening it was good to get out and have fun with Ben and Jaden. It did cheer me up and it helped me temporarily forget about my horrible first mission.

And three weeks later I had another big distraction. I was served with a court order to appear at a DNA testing site for a paternity test. It seems Sara, the lady with the religious scholarship, was pregnant.

Unless you can get pregnant from dancing badly…I am not the father.

Stang! My Mom and Dad were yelling at me, and now I was being summoned to see the Grand Master and my Master (Aunt Mara).

Why does stuff like this always happen to me?


	17. Chapter 17

_**ENTRY 20**_

I just came back from seeing the Grand Master and my Master today. It was awful. My parents were there also.

I was called into Uncle Luke's office and was told to sit in a chair across from his desk. The Grand Master was sitting at his desk in full Jedi regalia and looking really irritated.

He held up the paternity test court order. "Do you know how bad this looks? I have the University President and Dean of Students calling me up and asking me what type of organization I am running. The Department Chair of the Medical School even went so far as to ask me if you used the Force to _'influence'_ this girl into bed!" My uncle's voice rose angrily as he spoke.

I have gotten into a lot of trouble before, but I honestly have never seen my Uncle Luke this upset. This is worse than the _lovechild_ fiasco.

He forcefully tossed the court order on his desk. "This incident is bringing dishonor to the Jedi Order. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I remember swallowing hard and having problems talking. "I never had sex with her. The test will show I am not the father. I'll be exonerated. I just assisted her back to her dorm. I was never with her alone. Jaden was with me in her room the entire time."

"What!" my mother yelled as she grabbed her comlink. "Jaden get to the Grand Master's office NOW!"

"Ben was there also!" I pointed out.

"Ben!" my Aunt Mara yelled and she pulled out her comlink and ordered Ben to get to the office.

My brother and cousin show up a few minutes later looking nervous. Jaden tells them the whole sorted story and how I was never alone with the women and we were just trying to help them. Jaden is good at making a terrible situation sound reasonable.

My uncle calmed down a bit, but he ran his hands through his hair looking frustrated. "Talon, we will discuss this after the paternity results come back. Until then you are restricted to the Temple. I don't need the media getting a hold of you. You're all dismissed." We prepared to leave, but Uncle Luke stopped us. "Wait! Ben, Jaden…go with him to the testing center. I want you all tested. I want to put this issue to bed."

I couldn't help but give an amused snort; he could have phrased that better. The Grand Master gave me a withering glare, which stamped out any amusement I felt at that moment.

"It's bad enough that one Jedi is accused of impregnating a drunk college girl," Uncle Luke pointed to his son and Jaden. "I don't want her to start looking at you two as a possible father of her child when Talon is exonerated."

A small smiled graced my face. I felt a little better that the Grand Master believed I would be exonerated.

As I left the office my father came up beside me. "You better be telling the truth, Talon." He regarded me contemplatively. "I taught you to respect women. I hope that was a lesson you took to heart."

"Yes, Dad," I said softly.

He looked at me for a long pause before he smiled. "I believe you." He put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad things are getting back to normal for you since the mission."

I had to laugh. Things getting back to normal for me meant I was in trouble. Why is that? Stang! First I have women gossiping on the HoloNet about my supposedly sexual prowess and now I am slammed with a paternity suit.

What next?


	18. Chapter 18

_**ENTRY 21**_

I can't wait until the paternity results are in so things can get back to normal. I have no idea why Sara is accusing me of such a thing. Jaden talked to Kelli and she said Sara doesn't remember having sex with anyone and that night was the only night she was drunk. She hadn't had any alcohol to drink after that night and since she remembered me being in her dorm room…she naturally assumed I did the deed.

I had asked Jaden "Why didn't she suspect you!"

My brother blushed. "I have a reputation as being the good guy and…well, according to the holonet, you have a reputation as a smooth talking womanizer who likes bedroom roleplaying games and spanking women with toy lightsabers."

I rolled my eyes. I wish I were a smooth talking womanizer—that would mean I was getting some action. As for the rest of those rumors…I think they got the wrong Tantiss. I'll always remember finding a box of costumes in my father's closet when I was seven or eight years old. My dad never explained why he had a clone trooper helmet, an Imperial Admiral uniform, a Boba Fett outfit and fur-lined stuncuffs crammed in a box in the back of his closet. I still shudder at the implications. Ewww!

"That's just great," I grumbled to my brother.

Jaden shrugged. "It could be worse. I heard weird rumors that Raynar Thul suffers from _species dysphoria _and Jacen has a_ acrotomophilia _fetish."

I frown at my pre-med brother. "I hate physician jokes. I end up having to look these things up online before I understand the humor."

My brother just laughed and, once again, didn't explain his comments. I guess I'll be on the holonet tonight doing a definition search.

Shavit! I can't believe all the screwed up poodoo that has been happening in my life lately. I am very close to giving up and start living up to my bad boy holonet persona. If I am going to get in trouble for things I might as well have fun doing the deeds.

I decided that the way to get my mind off of the entire situation was to concentrate on my training. I had asked Master Corran Horn to help me with my hand-to-hand instruction and my Master Mara Jade Skywalker to assist me with the lightsaber.

Today I worked with my Aunt Mara on lightsaber techniques. We were using the practice sabers again so we wouldn't need to hold back. I did fairly well, but I really doubt if I will ever be able to beat my Master.

She was still a little irritated with me for involving her son in my nocturnal activities. "I can't believe you brought my son down to the Fashinfest!" Aunt Mara almost snarled at me while we sparred. Her green eyes glared at me intensely as she tried to put as many welts on my body as possible. Damn she's good with the lightsaber.

"He is a grown man," I pointed out to her. "He's older than me or my brother." I blocked a series of intense lightsaber attacks barely avoiding what would have been a fatal blow to my head if we weren't using practice weapons.

"Still, he wouldn't have been on the lower levels of Coruscant at that depraved festival if it wasn't for you."

I parried her attack and countered which she blocked easily. "You're right Aunt Mara. It's entirely my fault. Ben was minding his own business when Jaden and I pulled up in our speeder and lured him into the vehicle with the promise of candy." I then lowered my voice in an attempt to sound menacing. "_Hey little boy, do you want some candy?_" I then went to my normal voice. "Once we had him under our control we used a Jedi mind trick to coerce him to the lower levels. We then forced him to dance all night with the most beautiful female in the club. My brother and I are pure evil!"

I saw Mara's lips twitch as she tried to suppress a smile. "He was dancing with a beautiful woman all night?"

"Yes and the young lady appeared quite infatuated with him." I gave her a grin. "According to Ben, she found red hair on human males very exotic."

"Human males?" my Aunt Mara looked confused. "What species was this female?"

"Twi'lek."

I see my aunt roll her eyes before she swings her lightsaber trying to take me out at the knees. I jumped and rolled out of danger. "What's wrong? You don't like Twi'leks?"

She shook her head. "It's not that. When Luke and I started dating I heard rumors from some of his Rogue buddies about him having an eye for the Twi'leks." She blocked my lightsaber attack and countered with one of her own. "It must be something genetic." She signaled for a break and we deactivated our lightsabers. "Was she a dancer working there?"

I shook my head. "No, she's a pre-med student the same as Jaden."

"Nice," She nodded as she grabbed a water bottle. "Hopefully Ben's college girl won't get him in trouble like yours did."

"Sara is not my girlfriend," I protested. "And I don't think you have to worry. Jaden told me that Twi'lek and humans can only conceived through in vitro fertilization. He said something about gametic incompatibility. So there's no way Ben could have gotten his Twi'lek lady friend pregnant that night"

My Aunt Mara choked on her water. "What? I thought he was with you the entire time."

_Stang!_ Ben is going to kill me for discussing his love life with his mother.

"Umm…he was with me for some of the time." I looked at my wristchrono. "Wow! It's getting late. I have a meditation class to go to." I then ran to the exit. "See you Aunt Mara!"

As I moved out of the training room I could feel my aunt's eyes boring into my back. Oh well…Ben is twenty-years-old. His mother can't expect him to be a virgin all his life. And Ben said he was just talking…Ha! Yeah right.

Still…I don't think Ben is going to be happy with me for mentioning anything.


	19. Chapter 19

_**ENTRY 22**_

The DNA results came back and _I AM NOT THE FATHER!_

'_In your face Sara!' _

Okay, I didn't say that to her while I was in court, but I wanted to…until she started crying. Also I think every Force-user in the room could feel her tremendous surprise and shock. Obviously Sara _really_ thought I was her baby's daddy. Her parents were yelling at her asking how she could not know the identity of the father. Her dad addressed the Judge saying I obviously used the Force to change my DNA to falsify the results. Luckily Uncle Luke was there with me and he assured the judge that Jedi couldn't change their genetic code.

I don't know why I feel like I did something wrong. I guess I don't like to see a young lady in such a predicament.

I am staying away from college girls. In fact the only female that is going to be in my bed for a long while is Jaden's pitten, Fuzzy.

Hopefully this is the last of my bad luck with women…but I have a feeling I won't be that lucky.

* * *

_**ENTRY 23**_

Ben should have been knighted after his last mission, but he said he didn't want that horrific situation with the hostages to be the mission that culminates in his knighthood. He wanted to end his apprenticeship on a more positive note.

He requested that I accompany him again on a mission as back up. I think he also wanted me to have a more positive experience when it came to missions. Ben's a pretty good guy. This time my Master—Mara Jade Skywalker—would accompany me along with my dad who is Ben's Master.

We travelled to the planet Seylott. It is an outer rim jungle planet and home to a sentient bipedal, mammalian species named after its planet. They are tall, muscular humanoid beings with long arms, large stomachs and whiskered flat faces made them look like Klepthian rock otters. The Seylott people use their elongated arms to swing on branches and vines on the forest world. Although they spend a lot of time in the trees in the past they had built massive temples and stone monuments on the ground. Once they had a great peaceful society, but for some unknown reason there was a big decline in their culture sometime during the Clone Wars. Now their massive monuments are in ruins and all that remained of their thriving culture were pockets of primitive tribes living throughout the rainforest.

What was really interesting about the Seylott species is almost all were Force-sensitive. They didn't understand the Force like the Jedi do. Instead they interpreted the Force as a god called Shaa, which was a deity that consisted of the mother and infant. It was a duality where the two were part of the one. Or that is what I was told. I was never a student of religion. I know there are thousands of worshiped gods throughout the galaxy. The Jedi believe these are all interpretations of the Force, but we are told not to discuss this conviction with people who believe in a god or gods or other variations of a higher power. It is not polite to do so and it could cause a political and cultural backlash. We are taught to respect all religions.

I look forward to meeting a Seylott native. I have never even seen this species in holoreports. They are very wary of outsiders and are never seen off planet.

The reason we were on Seylott was because we were investigating reports of excavating companies illegally setting up Phrik mines on the planet. The mining companies claim they have permission from the Seylott shamans who act as leaders of the various clans. Unfortunately, nobody could find the elusive Seylott people to verify the story and that made the Galactic Alliance wonder if these indigenous tribes may have been slaughtered by some of the disreputable mining companies in order to maintain their claims.

The planet's thick jungles and large amount of wildlife made it almost impossible to locate the small pockets of Seylott tribes and that's why the Jedi were on planet. Since the Seylott species are almost all Force sensitive it is hoped that they could be located by other Force sensitives.

We got planet side at night and were waiting for sunrise before we began the search. It's been raining since we got here. I really hope it stops before we have to leave base camp.

We are with a Galactic Alliance company of ground troopers. My Dad, Ben and I were sleeping in a medium size troop tent with a couple GA officers. My Master was in a small troop tent with another woman in the field. I wish we could have stayed together, but the company commander didn't want any sexual harassment charges…which was stupid if just the four of us had a shelter together. We are all related to each other, after all. But I guess they didn't have enough tents. My dad said it might be better that my aunt is in an all female tent away from the men. He was sure my aunt would have killed most of the young and stupid soldiers that can't censor their thoughts while around a beautiful woman. My Aunt Mara is almost fifty years old, but she doesn't look it and I noticed she turned a number of heads when she came into the camp. I heard a couple guys about Ben's age calling her a _milk._ I was told that meant a _'mother I'd like to kriff'_. Ben was furious when he heard that.

A Galactic Alliance officer came into our tent with camouflage coveralls bundled up in his arms. He was a tall muscular man with a nasty scar running from his hairline to his jaw. I have noticed that many of the men had foregone reconstructive surgery or bacta immersions and instead decided to exhibit their scars as badges of honor.

"This is the rainy season," The officer said. "You can expect to be wet day and night." He started handing out the clothing. "These are durawick coveralls. They are waterproof, but they are vented and made of a fabric that wicks moisture away from your body."

He handed out one to Ben and me. When he came to my father he gave an apologetic look. "I couldn't find one to fit you that was made for a human, but I was able to get a Wookiee durawick suit. It's been washed."

My dad made a face when he reached into the suit and pulled out hair.

The officer handed a smaller uniform to my father. "This is a small men's coverall. It should fit your female."

It was funny when all of us chuckled at the same time. My father smiled. "She's not our female. It's more like we're her males."

The officer's eyebrows rose slightly. "Okay…well, ummm…there is a special way to wear these…"

"I know how they're worn," my father interrupted.

The officer nodded his head. "Fine," he said before leaving us in the tent alone.

My father tossed the small coveralls to me. "Give these to your aunt and tell her not to wear any underwear with them."

I caught the outfit midair and then looked at my father stunned. "What?"

My father opened up the coveralls to show me the interior. "These coveralls have built in underwear netting...mainly for male support. Even though they are waterproof you will probably sweat despite the venting. If you wear regular underwear it will cause your skin to be constantly wet and you will end up with a raging case of prickly heat."

"Why do I have to tell Aunt Mara she needs to go commando under these coveralls?"

My father shrugged. "Because I said so."

I hate that answer. I get it from Mom, Dad and my Master. "Fine," I grumbled as I pulled on my raincoat I brought from Coruscant and ran over to my Aunt Mara's tent with the coveralls. When I got there I yelled for her. "Aunt Mara! Are you in there? Can I come in?"

She pulled back the door flap and motioned me to enter. The tent had two cots, but my aunt was the only person present at the time. I handed her the durawick coveralls. "Dad wanted me to give you these. And ummm…well, there is a certain way you are supposed to wear them." I hoped she would say she knew how to wear them so I could avoid embarrassment.

She stared at me curiously. "And that is?"

I felt my face heat up. "You are supposed to go without underwear when wearing them."

She raised an eyebrow. "No bra?"

"Ummm…"

"No panties?"

"I uh…I guess." I stammer.

"How about a lace teddy?"

My jaw dropped. I am fairly certain she's joking, but I don't like the images that just popped into my head.

My aunt laughed. "I know how to wear durawick coveralls." She smirked. "In fact I was the one that taught your father how to wear them. I think your Dad wanted to embarrass you." She chuckled as she held the outfit out in front of her. "This should fit. I'll have it on tomorrow."

"Thanks," I sputter before I exited her tent and went back to the shelter I shared with my dad and cousin. When I entered the tent both Ben and Dad started laughing.

"Did you really tell Mom to make sure she doesn't wear anything underneath?" Ben was cracking up.

I just scowled at the two.

"Think of it as payback for discussing my love life with my mother," Ben said with a feigned look of anger, but then started laughing again.

"At least you don't have to wear an itchy Wookiee suit," my dad pointed out as he pulled more hair out of the garment. "Why don't you guys go talk to some of the younger soldiers in camp. You may want to get in some military training in the future. Ask them what training they've done and what missions they have been on." When we didn't move my dad motioned with his head for us to go. "That's an order. Both of you."

Ben and I gave each other puzzled looks, but did as we were told. I have a feeling that Dad isn't telling us everything about this mission.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Entry 24**_

We've been slowly traveling through the jungle in the pouring rain all morning. I hate being out in a deluge. On Coruscant the weather is controlled so we are never surprised by a storm. Once a month it would rain on the city world…mainly to clean off the dust and dirt deposited by vehicles or industry.

I have to admit the durawick coveralls do work. Despite the intense downpour and the constant sticky humidity my skin stayed dry. Dad said he wished he had this type of coverall when he went to Dagobah with Uncle Luke. He spent a week on the jungle world and he ended up with a wicked heat rash. He said couldn't wait to get back to civilization so he could put a specialized bacta salve on the infected area…which was everywhere his underwear touched. Ouch! He said it was like a million needles stabbing his groin. Double ouch!

I hope I don't ever to have to go to Dagobah. It doesn't sound like a fun place. Dad went there to train with Uncle Luke. This was shortly after I was born when Dad was just an apprentice. While on the planet Dad went into what he called the cave of evil...an underground cavern full of darkside energy. He was told Jedi going into the cave often had visions. Uncle Luke said the first time he was on the planet he had a vision of him killing Vader only to find out it was himself within the armor. Five years after Yoda died Uncle Luke returned and he saw a possible future where my Aunt Mara actually killed him while on Tatooine. Luckily that future did not come to pass.

My father went in and when he came out my Uncle Luke said he was shaken and pale…but my father refused to tell anyone what he saw. I asked him once but he wouldn't even tell me. Whatever it was it must have been awful. I have a feeling it might be something to do with him or his family…otherwise why wouldn't he tell Luke?

Anyway, getting back to my story. Dad said he was glad he had the coveralls even though the castoff Wookiee hair that remained in the outfit was making him itch. Dad said he hoped the Wookiee that last wore the outfit didn't have Wroshyr Lice.

Uncle Han once told us all about Wroshyr lice that are found on the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk. He said that female Wookiees would drop a Wroshyr louse on a male she was interested in. She would then apologize for accidently (meaning on purpose) dropping a louse in his fur. She would then take the next hour to groom the male's fur to extract the louse. In other words, it was just a stupid excuse for the female to put her furry hands all over the male's body. The males don't seem to mind though.

I am so glad that humans don't have that custom. I could just see some lady infecting me with Kaon Crotch Crabs just so she would paw over my body. That wouldn't be fun…well, I guess it would depend on how hot looking the woman was. Ha!

Once again I am off topic. Our travels through the mucky jungle of Seylott was a pain in the butt. The vegetation was so thick that speeder bikes couldn't be used, so we had to walk. The troops would climb three steps up a muddy hill and then slip down two. Which wouldn't be too bad if the hillsides weren't covered with a strange, black barked tree that had spikes sticking out all along the trunk. The natural human response to sliding down a muddy hill is to grab onto something to slow your decent. Unfortunately, this tree—which I nicknamed 'Black Palm' because the black spikes usually ended up embedded in your palm—was always there when a trooper reached out to grab something. The Jedi didn't really have this problem keeping our balance, but the soldiers were slipping and sliding all over the place. We ended up using the Force to assist the soldiers up and down some of the rougher terrain.

After a while we could sense sentient beings in the distance, probably six kilometers away. They didn't feel completely human, but we knew we weren't sensing animals. We were fairly certain it a group of Seylott tribesmen, so we kept moving.

I got to meet my Master's tent-mate during the walk. It was the only other female in the group. Her name is Captain Lodi Nisda. She is a thirty-something human female with short-cropped hair and a stern look. I was told she works for GA Intelligence. That in itself wasn't odd—what was strange was my Aunt's behavior around her. Mara had suddenly become very outgoing and talkative with Captain Nisda. It's not that Mara Jade Skywalker wasn't friendly, but usually it took time for her to warm up to people.

The fact that she was acting all chummy indicated to me that she was trying to coax information out of the Captain. So now I have my Master and my father both acting a little strange. I wish they let me or Ben in on what's is going on. Both denied that they were acting weird, but I am pretty sure they are keeping something from us.

.

.

* * *

**Author Note: The description of the Seylott people in the previous post is canon and the Wookiee mating habits are also canon. I think they are both from the comics. The tree I described is not canon, but they have it in Panama and I slid into more than one of those miserable trees while training in that country.**


	21. Chapter 21

_**Entry 25: Seylott**_

After sloshing through mud in the pouring rain for five hours we finally found a group of Seylott natives. They were impressive looking beings—tall and muscular with very long arms. Their necks were so thick and that they are often described as neck-less. They speak crude Basic, but it is understandable. It was determined that the mining companies did not get permission to set up operation in the area. In fact when the natives protested the company's appearance on their hunting grounds they were run off by the mining camp's security.

As soon as it was determined the miners did not have a legitimate claim, the GA Intelligence Captain appeared to be very anxious to get rid of us Jedi. She sent out a signal to the base camp and had a troop transport locate the closest clearing that could be used as a landing zone. We were thanked for our assistance and then we were quickly escorted to the LZ. From there we boarded a transport ship to be whisked back to the base camp and then to our shuttle.

It wasn't until we were away from the troopers that I asked my Master what was going on.

"Didn't you read the brief on the planet?" she asked.

"Yeah." Which was true.

"Did you bother researching what Phrik ore is used for?" my aunt asked.

I shook my head. My aunt looked at Ben. "How about you?"

"No," Ben admitted.

She gave us a severe look. "That is part of being a Jedi. You're not privates in the Army who simply have to show up to formation. You research your mission!"

My face burned from the rebuke. She was right, though. I just showed up and did what I was told. That's not really the mark of a true leader.

"Phrik is one of the few metals that is resistant to lightsabers," My father pointed out.

My Aunt Mara smirked. "We were requested to help find the Seylott people, but while we were in hyperspace that request was countermanded by GA Intelligence."

"We retrieved the message when we reverted to real space, but we pretended we didn't receive the second message," my father said. "We hoped we wouldn't be sent away. That would probably make what they were doing look suspicious. We wanted to see what was going on."

"What do you think the GA is doing?" I asked.

My Master shrugged. "Probably nothing nefarious. Phrik is one of the most resistant metals in the galaxy and would be useful in most military applications. They probably wanted to kick the civilian contractors out and nationalize the mines for the GA military."

"Or the anti-Jedi segments of the GA might want to stockpile the metal to make Jedi resistant armor or battle droids," my father continued.

Ben shook his head. "Why would they want to do that?"

Aunt Mara gave us an unsympathetic look. "Why would Palpatine want to purge the universe of thousands of Jedi?"

My father frowned sadly. "Sometimes Jedi just get in the way."

I can't imagine any scenario where the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi would be enemies, but maybe I just don't have a good enough imagination.

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine at the very thought. Hopefully, my dad and Master are just being paranoid, but now I understand why they wanted us to chat up the soldiers and why my aunt suddenly became gregarious. We were spying on the GA.

Interesting.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Author Note: For the May Writing Challenge for TFN we had to go to Wookieepedia and click ****Random Article****. We then had to work in the subject that came up into one of the entries. I got the Krayt Cult of Tatooine. So I had to find a way to work that in.**_

_**~JL~**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

* * *

_**ENTRY 26**_

Ben came over to my quarters yesterday to hang out. In a couple weeks he will be knighted. After that happens he knows he'll probably won't have the time to play holo games, watch holovids or go out to clubs like he could as an apprentice. Therefore, he's been taking advantage of any free time he has to relax with his friends.

He wanted to go out to a nightclub with me and my brother, but Jaden wasn't back from school yet. So we decided to kill some time until his return by watching a holodrama or mystery. Jaden and I pay to have streaming holovid programming in our room, so Ben and I were scrolling through the titles when one holofilm caught my eye.

"_Luke Skywalker and the Krayt Cult of Tatooine_?" I looked over to Ben. "Have you seen that one?"

He shook his head. "What year was it made?"

I checked the holo information for its release date. "1 ABY."

Ben snickered. "I bet this is one of those films that Uncle Han had a hand in making. Dad said a slew of badly made action holos came out after the Battle of Yavin. He eventually discovered Han and Chewie were making up completely false stories about him and selling the movie rights."

"Yeah, like_'Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor'_?"

"That holovid is based on true events. " He shook his head. "No, that one Uncle Han wasn't involved in. Mom and I watched it once. Mom then asked Dad, '_Who's this Aeona Cantor woman?'_"

I was puzzled. "Who was she?"

Ben shrugged. "Dad said it was the girlfriend of his friend Nick Rostu, but the writer who created the screenplay heavily hinted that she was in love with my dad."

I chuckled. "You know what they say, once you go Jedi you never go back."

Ben shook his head. "You do realize you're the only person who actually says that."

"I know," I said with a smirk. "Let's watch it. You have to admit it will be fun seeing how your dad was portrayed when he was young."

So that is what we did for the next two hours. Force! I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life. The holofilm starts and we see a man walking out of the desert. He was wearing the distinctive orange Rogue pilot flight suit. The camera zooms in and we can finally see the man clearly. He has some of the features of Uncle Luke; there is the cleft chin, blue eyes and badly cut blond hair…but that's about it. This guy was a monster of a man. He was over two meters tall with broad shoulders and huge biceps bulging under his uniform. If my dad didn't dye his hair and irises this is what I imagine he would look like.

I start cracking up. "Wow, your dad was really buff when he was younger!"

Ben grinned. "Yeah, Dad really let himself go since his rebellion days."

We could see the actor portraying Luke Skywalker walk into a small desert town.

"So why did your dad decide to park his X-Wing five kilometers out of town?"

He shrugged. "Dad always liked to saunter into towns sunburned and dehydrated."

I snickered. The Luke Skywalker actor goes into a tavern and orders a Rodian Ale which he swigs back in one gulp. I started dry gagging. Rodian Ale has a hideous taste and I was fairly sure the real Luke Skywalker would have spewed that drink halfway across the bar once that foul liquid hit his tongue. The man then had two shots of Vosh…which is a one hundred percent pure alcohol drink!

"Ben, your dad could really hold down his booze back then. Nowadays he gets tipsy with one ale with Uncle Han."

Ben was about to respond but then his eyes went wide as a half dressed blue Twi'lek came up to the performer and wrapped her arms around his neck. _"Are you Luke Skywalker?"_ the buxom twi'lek asked as she rubbed up against the actor. The Luke Skywalker character gave her a very uncharacteristic leer as he moved his hands down her body until they rested on her backside.

"_It depends."_ The large blond man responded. _"Who wants to know?"_

The sexy twi'lek tells him she was looking for somebody to help free her friends who were being held prisoner by members of the evil Krayt Cult—which is an actual group of people who worship Krayt dragons on Tatooine. The cult members had abducted the most beautiful women on Tatooine and were planning on sacrificing them to a Krayt Dragon.

Of course the holofilm Luke Skywalker agrees to help, but not before he goes back to the Twi'lek's room and has hot interspecies sex with her. I look over to Ben who has his hand covering his eyes and was turning red.

"Ben, he really isn't your Dad on screen…and you got to see this hot Twi'lek flesh."

"I love seeing hot Twi'lek flesh, but not when somebody who is supposed to be my father is currently on top of that flesh."

I laughed out loud at my cousin's discomfort. "At least they're not too explicit. I'm glad we didn't have to see your dad's _lightsaber_."

The rest of the movie was awful. Luke Skywalker fights off the cult members and then a krayt dragon and then he frees a dozen scantily clad Twi'lek women who suddenly decide the best way to thank their hero is by having group sex. At least that is what I assume. The holofilm mercifully pans away from the frenzied groping before things went too far along. As the credits rolled I gave Ben a wide smirk. "Wow Ben, your dad got a lot of Twi'lek action for a man with a horrible bowl haircut."

Ben snorted. "A bad haircut can't overcome the fact that all Skywalkers are extremely charming, debonair and have the classic hero good looks. Twi'leks fall for it every time."

"Oh yeah." My grin grew wider. "Are you still dating Niki?"

Ben blushed. "Sure, we go out as friends."

I scoffed. "Yeah, friends with benefits." I was surprised when Ben didn't make a snappy come back to that comment. "Are you guys getting serious?"

He shook his head. "No, we're just dating for fun. She wants to one day marry somebody of her own species and have kids of her own." He shrugged. "It wouldn't work anyway. She wants to return to Ryloth and start her own medical practice and I want to stay on Coruscant to be near my family." He hesitated for a moment. "Anyway, I would like to have kids one day also."

"Jaden told me he read about human/twi'lek hybrids."

Ben shook his head. "We're just having fun together. It's nothing serious. We're friends." He gave me a slight smile. "As for benefits… it's true. She does enjoy occasional benefits from me."

"She benefits from you?" I started laughing so hard I thought I would crack a rib. "You are so full of yourself!"

"Hey," he laughed. "It's not like this planet is crawling with the exotic redheaded freckled face men that she so desires."

I started laughing again. Ben can have a self-deprecating sense of humor sometimes.

Jaden came back from school an hour later and we decided to go out on the town. This time we didn't get in any trouble, which is amazing. A good time was had by all.


	23. Chapter 23

_**ENTRY 27**_

Today was really a bad and emotionally draining day. My feelings have alternated between shock, fear, sadness and determination.

First came the shock—my brother and I are asked to meet with Grand Master Luke. When we get there Ben is also there and looking pale. Uncle Luke told us to sit down.

"I am not sure what's going on," my uncle said, "but the local law enforcement precinct asked if you three would come down to the station to answer some questions." Uncle Luke looked at us expectantly, like would have some clue as to what was going on. "Any idea as to what they want? They wouldn't tell me."

We all shook our heads. The Grand Master gave us a grim look. "I have taken the liberty to procure a lawyer to accompany you… and I'm going with you."

We sat stunned and looked back and forth between each other. We had no inkling as to why the police would want to question us.

.

.

Then came fear—we get to the precinct and two police officers, one in his late fifties and the other in his thirties, came into a conference room where we were sitting. We have a Bothan lawyer with us along with the Grand Master. The police looked a little shocked at the amount of people there, but our lawyer said they couldn't question us alone if we requested a lawyer. Only Uncle Luke could be asked to leave.

The law enforcement officers simply shrugged their shoulders and sat down across the table for us.

"We are hoping you could help us on a criminal investigation." The older of the two policemen said. "We have reason to believe there is a Force-Strong male in the area committing sexual assaults on young women."

Frack! My heart started beating wildly right about now because _**I'M ALWAYS **_blamed for things I didn't do.

The younger policeman chimed in. "Last night at Coruscanti University a female student was accosted in her dorm room. She doesn't remember anything about the assault, but her boyfriend entered her room just as a man was attempting to undress her. The boyfriend fought with the man before he was forcefully shoved across the room by what he said was _'an unseen hand'._ He said it looked like some of the special effects seen in Jedi action holos."

Uncle Luke took on a frosty look. "I hope you are not suggesting it was any of my Jedi!" He looked at me, Ben and Jaden. "And I can guarantee these three young men would never be involved in something so reprehensible. I have known them since they were born!"

The older officer gave us a disarming smile. "They're here only as potential witnesses."

My uncle looked confused. "I'm sure if they witnessed a crime they would have reported it. Why _are_ they here exactly?"

"When the boyfriend bloodied the perpetrator's nose and we extracted DNA from the blood left at the crime scene. We ran the DNA through our databanks that included DNA from criminal and civil cases. We got a hit. It wasn't an exact match, but it was a familial hit from DNA collected from the Talon Tantiss vs Sara Katarka paternity case."

I was confused. "Familial hit? What's that? What does that mean?"

My brother turned to me. "It means one of the people providing DNA for your paternity case is related to the perpetrator."

A sick feeling came over me. Ben, Jaden and I gave DNA samples. The only male relative I have that is Force-sensitive is my father. My uncle Shon and Jaycen and their kids don't have any Force sensitivity. On Ben's side of his family he has his father and his twin brothers. I know the twins are strange, but they would never do something so despicable.

All this went through my mind in the few seconds before the officer clarified the situation. "The DNA familial hit came from Sara Katarka's unborn child."

.

.

And then there was sadness. "Sara was a victim of this creep?" I asked. Now I _really_ felt bad for her.

The older officer nodded. "We believe so. We don't know if there are only two victims or multiple victims. This second woman doesn't remember this man entering her apartment or the confrontation between them. She remembers entering her apartment and then seeing her boyfriend fighting with a man."

"He's doing a memory rub," Luke said ominously. As soon as the words were out of his mouth I realized why Sara was so adamant that I had to be the father. She _REALLY_ didn't remember having sex with anyone. If the night we met was the only time she was drunk…then she would have every reason to believe she was impregnated that night.

The two officers focused their attention on my uncle. "A memory rub? So they don't remember? Is that common knowledge with Jedi?"

My uncle shook his head. "No, I don't teach the technique. It can be done by a Jedi, but it is considered a darkside technique." My uncle looked up at the officers. "You see the darkside…"

The officers raised their hands. "I think we've seen enough Jedi action holos to understand the basics."

"Yeah, I loved _Shadow's of Mindor_," the younger man said with a smile.

My uncle closed his eyes and groaned. He hates all the Luke Skywalker holofilms.

"Or _The Taming of the Jedi_," the older man said with a leer.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I had to bite my lower lip to keep from laughing. I've never seen it, but I have heard of that particular film. It was a Luke/Mara domination skinholo. Ben must have heard of that porno because he started coughing in an attempt to disguise a laugh.

Uncle Luke turned bright red. "Can we please get back on topic?" His words came out through clenched teeth.

"Sorry," the senior officer said with a sheepish look. "I know you don't believe the criminal is one of your Jedi…but I need to know, do any of your Jedi know this technique? Perhaps they learned it somewhere else?"

My uncle's eyes narrowed. "There are a couple Jedi that have knowledge from another…source. Did the boyfriend give you a description of the man?"

One officer read from a notebook. "Average height between 1.7 to 1.8 meters tall, brown hair, clean shaven, probably in his late twenties."

I could see my uncle let out a breath of relief. "The men that might know the technique don't fit the description. One is 2.1 meters with red hair and beard. The other has a shock of white hair and is taller." He looked over to the police officers. "You have our full cooperation. I am certain this criminal is not a Jedi."

"We don't think so either." The officer smiled at Luke. "Like I said, your Jedi are here because they might be potential witnesses." He turned to us. "Did any of you notice anybody watching or stalking Sara Katarka the night you accompanied her home to her dorm?"

I shook my head. "There were two sleemo guys at the club that tried to fight us over the ladies, but they weren't Force-sensitive."

"How do you know that?"

I looked over to Ben nervously. I don't know if he wants his father to know he used a Jedi mind trick to get rid of these guys.

"I used a Force suggestion to make them leave," Ben volunteered the information.

The officers looked at each other. "So you can suggest something to someone and they do it?"

"If they are weak willed," Uncle Luke clarified.

The younger officer started taking notes. "So a Force-sensitive could have knocked on the second victim's door and simply said, _'let me in'_ and she might have let him in without a fight?"

"Yes," Uncle Luke admitted.

"So if one of us catches this guy he might say, 'let me go' and we might do just that?"

Luke nodded. "It's possible."

The older officer sighed. "Master Skywalker. I think we need to bring some Jedi in to help us then."

.

.

And that brings me to the feeling of determination. I want to help! I want justice for Sara and the other victim. I immediately volunteered my assistance. Ben and Jaden quickly offered up their help also.

We talked to the officer for a while about a plan. It was determined that a couple Jedi females might act as decoys. Jaina's name was immediately brought up. We couldn't decide on the second Jedi at that time. When we left the station we had a plan of action. I want to get this guy!


	24. Chapter 24

_**Entry 28 - Coruscant**_

This was an exciting week. I sort of like doing undercover work.

Since the two known attacks happened in the Coruscanti University dormitories the police decided to do surveillance in those areas. The University had a few empty rooms and a team of Jedi was assigned quarters. We would go undercover as college students. This wasn't a stretch for Jaden since he already was in college there. He was able to show us around. The school had their maintenance personnel place surveillance holocams in the hallways and lobbies of all dormitories and there were roaming surveillance hoverdroids patrolling the campus.

Jaina and Jysella were picked to be the female decoys and they were set up in a room together. There was holocameras in their room, but they had an override button for privacy when they were dressing. All the other cameras were in public areas.

Jaden, Ben and I were down the hall in a four-man room. Inside there was an array of monitors set up to watch what the surveillance cameras were recording. There was a fourth man in our group named Erek Gowen. Erek was a Coruscanti law enforcement officer assigned to make the official arrest. He was a light skinned human with brown hair and eyes and a baby face that made him look much younger than the twenty-eight years he claimed was his age.

He was a nice enough guy, but he had an insatiable curiosity about the Jedi…especially when he was bored. And I soon discovered that surveillance, although it sounds exciting, can be mind numbingly boring when nothing is happening.

One night we were sitting around the monitors watching the students come and go on campus when Erek decided to bombard us with questions.

"Can you guys read my mind?" he asked us one night.

"Sure," I replied.

His eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Of course," I said with a grin. "You were thinking you wished you didn't have to be stuck with us boring Jedi but instead were hitting up on some of those hot co-eds." I pointed to a group of well-endowed human females walking across the viewing screen.

His eyes went wider. "Damn, you can read minds!"

Jaden smacked me on the shoulder. "He can't read your mind, Erek. He was just telling you what he was thinking."

"Oh," Erek said with a laugh. "Can you turn invisible?"

"We three can't…yet, but it _is_ possible," Ben offered. "I've read about it, but you'd probably have to be a Jedi Master that trained on the technique for years. It is a rare ability. It is much easier to get sentient beings to not pay attention to us. We can distract them."

"We can also use the Force to mess with the electronics of holocams," Jaden told the man. "So if our perpetrator is a Force user, he might be doing that. Take notice if cameras start getting filled with static."

"Will do," he said with a nod. "Can you see the future?"

We all shrugged. "We are taught that the future is always in motion," Ben explained. "It is not fixed. Therefore if we have visions it may be the future or a possible future. We can never know for sure…that's probably why none of us are financial investors."

Erek grinned. "I saw this skinholo where a Jedi used the Force to enhance sex, is that possible."

"Yes," all three of us Jedi answered simultaneously.

I started chuckling. "Ben, I'm surprised. I thought you were taught not to use the Force on trivialities."

Ben gave me an incredulous look. "Since when is sex trivial?"

"Good point," I conceded.

"What's it like?" Erek asked.

"I'd rather not say," Ben said as he pointed to me. "Talon here has a habit of repeating things I say to his Master…which is my mother."

"Did any of you go out with that hot Jaina Solo Jedi?" Erek asked obviously not knowing or remembering that other than Jsyella we were all related.

"No!" Ben said harshly. "She's our cousin!" He pointed to Jaden and me. "The Solo, Skywalker and Tantiss families are all related to each other."

Erek looked at each of us. There was Ben with red hair and freckles, Jaden with a dark complexion, hair and eyes and me with blond hair and blue eyes. We couldn't look more dissimilar from each other. "I wouldn't have guessed. You all look so different." He scratched the side of his head. "Yeah, I forgot that Skywalker and Organa-Solo are brother and sister." He looked over to me. "How is your family related?"

I gave him the false story we have been telling people for two decades. "Our father is the brother to Mara Jade Skywalker."

It was a believable story. Dad dyes his hair the same color as Mara's and he has the same color eyes…also dyed. Aunt Mara has no recorded documents about her past and neither does my father, since Luke found him in a cloning facility. So there is no datapad trail that could disprove the tale.

"Oh," Erek said then paused for a moment in thought. "So have you guys been with just Force users or regular women?"

"Both," my brother said which surprised me. I didn't know he dated any of the female Jedi.

"Which is better?" Erek asked.

"You get in a lot less trouble with non-Force users," I said. "They can't figure out you're lying when you tell them that you love that hideous dress they're wearing…and _no_, it doesn't make their butt look fat."

"I agree." Ben laughed. "I know my dad often gets in trouble with mom when he tries to get one over on her."

"I prefer dating Jedi," Jaden said. "I like a relationship on an equal footing."

I gave him a sly look. "And which female Jedi are you dating?"

He shook his head. "I am not dating any at the moment. Before I started college I spent time with a few Jedi ladies…they're all Knights now and off on missions."

"Older women! You were dating older female Jedi?" Now I was really intrigued.

My brother shrugged. "They were only a couple years older." He shook his head. "I'm not going to discuss this further."

"Come on!" Ben begged for more details. "You can't leave us hanging like this!"

My brother blushed but relented. "I guess it wasn't a secret. I've dated Tia Kai and Karana Sirja."

My jaw dropped. "The Dathomirian witches?" I put my hands out in front of my chest about fifteen centimeters. "You mean Tia, the lady with the great pair of…"

"Hey!" my brother interrupted me. "Don't be disrespectful. They were both nice women."

"I'll bet," I had to say with a smirk. "Did they claim you as a mate, toss you onto the bed, and take turns ravishing you like true Dathomirians?"

"I didn't date them at the same time!" My brother said hotly. He hesitated for a moment before he continued. "But yes, they were a bit aggressive."

"HA!" Ben let out a loud laugh.

"Okay, no more talk about my love life." He gestured to Erek. "Next question."

"Can I see one of you levitate something?" Erek said after a moment of thought.

Ben rolled his eyes. That is one of those questions we hear all the time. "We're not circus entertainers."

Erek looked a little disappointed. "It's just boring watching these screens. We have been looking for the bad guy for three days with no hits."

"Fine," Ben said as he pointed to a bag of snack chips on the desk and made it levitate off the table."

"Boring," I said then reached out with the Force and forcefully pulled up the back of Erek's elastic underwear waistband. The man gave out a surprised shout and then glared at me.

"Did you do that?" he asked angrily as he tried to rearrange his underwear in a less painful position. "Stang, what are they teaching you at the Temple?"

Jaden punched me in the arm again. "They're not teaching us that." He laughed. "I taught him that…the hard way. I have to admit, I used to pull that prank on my brother…a lot."

Erek gave up trying to rearrange his underwear through his pants and instead opted to use the 'fresher for some privacy. "I'm glad my brother didn't have the Force."

When he came back he looked at his wristchrono. "Why don't we try something different?" He pulled out his datapad and typed in a few notes. "Why don't two of you go out with the Jedi females for a while? Then bring them back and have them act like they're drunk and leave them in their room. Maybe that will get the perpetrator to take notice.

We all shrugged our shoulders. "Sounds good. Who wants to go?"

"You guys can go," Ben offered. "I'll stay here with the monitors."

So Jaden and I called on our comlink to Jaina and Jysella telling them our plan, we met and decided to go to a local pub…and that is when the night became interesting.

I will write more later on about what happened.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Entry 29**_

Okay, this is what happened that night.

The four of us went to a local club. We ordered non-alcoholic versions of some of the mixed drinks at the bar and made a show of being tipsy. We then started back to the dorms. As we drew near the building Jysella must have decided she wanted to pursue an acting career because she was really getting into her 'drunk girl' persona.

She leaned on Jaden and sometimes pretended to stumble so she could grab hold of my brother and hug his waist. She looked up to him and grinned. "You are so sexy," she slurred.

They were walking ahead of me and Jaina, so I had a great view of Jaden's startled jump when Jysella grabbed his buttocks and squeezed. I looked over to Jaina as she chuckled at my brother's discomfort. She was walking next to me pretending to be slightly unsteady on her feet. I looked back to my brother and Jysella and noticed they had stopped. Jysella had both her arms around Jaden's neck and gave him an evil grin. "How about a kiss, my stud muffin?"

"I don't think that's a good…" That is all Jaden got out before Jysella pressed a firm kiss against his lips. The shock that radiated off my brother was laughable.

Jaina and I stopped to watch my frantic brother trying to peel Jysella off him. I am sure he didn't like the idea of Jysella's Jedi father, Corran Horn, running him through with his lightsaber after hearing about this...but this did confirm my long time suspicion that Jysella had a schoolgirl crush on my brother.

Jaina gave an amused snort. "Your brother better watch out, Jysella is jailbait." Meaning my nineteen-year-old brother could be thrown in jail for contributing to the delinquency of a seventeen-year-old minor.

I shook my head. "That's not true. Although the drinking age on Coruscant is eighteen the legal age of consent is actually sixteen."

I always thought it was odd that you couldn't drink until you are eighteen, but you could have sex at sixteen. Maybe the authorities didn't want teenagers to have drunken sex until they were adults…but sober sex was fine.

Jaina gave me a disgusted look. "I can't believe you have that little tidbit of information committed to memory." She shook her head. "And here I was thinking that your bad reputation was the creation of the sleemo media."

"It is a creation of the media." I gave my cousin my most innocent look. "I'll have you know it was your brother who informed me of that particular law."

She looked at me perplexed. "Jacen?"

I laughed. "No, Anakin."

It looked like Jaina was going to question me further but then she gave me an understanding nod and a roll of her eyes. Anakin started hanging out with his future wife when he was sixteen and she was thirteen. He probably looked up that information to stay out of trouble. That would probably explain why he looked so happy during Tahiri's sixteenth birthday party. Ha! I bet he had a special package for Tahiri to unwrap that night. I'm kidding, I'm sure Tahiri was a nineteen-year-old virgin bride after dating Anakin for six years. Ha! Yeah, sure.

I looked back just as Jaden managed to untangle himself from Jysella and started walking back to the dorm without her. "Oh come on Jaden, don't be that way. I'm too drunk to walk on my own," Jysella laughed with a fake slur.

Jaden stopped, shook his head in frustration, and then returned to Jysella.

"No funny business," he warned her.

"I wouldn't think about it," she said with a devious smile and then returned to holding and leaning into him.

Yep…I am one hundred percent positive that young Jysella has a thing for my brother. It's too bad that he's attracted to older women. Older, wild women if the things he said earlier were true. I have a hard time imagining my shy brother taking on a Dathomir witch, but then I never imagined he could kriff-dance like he did in that club that night during the Fashinfest. Jaden is full of surprises.

We were walking into the dorm when Jaina grabbed a hold of my arm and leaned toward me. For a horrifying second, I thought she was going to pull a Jysella on me…a disturbing thought when you consider she's my cousin. Fortunately she simply wanted to talk to me unheard. "Do you feel something in the Force?" she asked me.

I spread out my senses and I did feel something. I felt watched. "Somebody is watching?"

"Yes," Jaina said. "We've attracted somebody's attention."

I nodded as we moved inside the dorm. "What do you want us to do?" Jaina was the ranking Jedi on this mission and was calling the shots when it came to us… even though Erek thought he was in charge.

"Drop us off as planned, but keep a visual on the monitors and keep in constant audio contact."

I nodded as we got to their room. We said our goodbyes and went back up to our room and waited for the perpetrator to strike. We waited and waited and waited.

"Jaina and I were sure somebody was watching us," I said while getting bored.

"Maybe he's waiting to get a woman alone," Erek ventured.

"That's possible." Ben got on his comlink. "Jaina…maybe we should pull out Jysella and give him a lone target…what do you think?"

"Sounds good. Somebody come down and get her. I don't want the bad guy trying to grab her. I want to be the bait."

"Will do," Ben said. He then turned to Jaden. "You want to go down and get your girlfriend?"

He frowned. "I don't have a thing for Jysella."

Ben smiled. "Maybe, but I saw on the monitors how she was hanging all over you. Therefore it wouldn't seem odd if you are the one who goes down to get her."

Jaden groaned but went down to pick up Jysella. After a few minutes he returned with the grinning seventeen-year-old. I know this isn't Jysella's first mission, therefore I think her exuberance over this assignment had something to do with working with Jaden.

We watched the monitors for another half hour before we saw a man fitting the perpetrator's description entering the dormitory hallway.

"Jaina," Ben called on his comlink. "We have movement. We'll wait for your signal."

"Okay, I'll leave the comlink mic open." Jaina responded and we saw her put the comlink down on a desk.

We watched the monitors as the man came up to Jaina's door and stood outside for a moment with an intense look of concentration on his face. I am pretty sure he was using the Force to figure out who was inside the room. After a moment he pushed the door activation panel, which Jaina purposely left unlocked. He quickly entered the room as soon as the door cycled open.

"Who are you? What are you doing here!" we heard Jaina call out doing her best to sound distressed.

"Calm down," the man said. "You will be silent and do as I say."

Jaina gave him a confused look and ran a hand through her hair…which was our signal that he was attempting to use the Force to subdue her. Of course he would have to be a powerfully trained Jedi to affect Jaina.

"That's the signal," Ben said as we all stood. He looked at Erek. "We'll subdue him and you will make the official arrest." He pulled out his lightsaber. "Talon and I will go in first. Jysella and Jaden will be our back up. Erek coordinate with the police and have an air ambulance standing by."

"And air ambulance?" Erek looked concerned. "Do you think Jaina could be in danger?"

Ben laughed as we exited the dorm room. "No, the suspect is the one who's in danger."

We ran down the hall until we got to the room. We pressed the door panel and rushed in, lightsabers blazing, surprising the criminal. He quickly pulled a vibroblade out of his pocket and grabbed Jaina putting the blade under her neck. "Don't move! Or I'll kill her."

We paused for a second, not because we were worried, but we didn't know if Jaina wanted to handle this guy by herself or not. The fact that she let him grab her told us she wanted to take the time to make sure he had enough crimes committed and recorded on holocams to convict him before she went into action.

Jaina looked at us pretending to be scared. "Please, listen to him."

I looked over to Ben who shut off his saber. I followed suit. Jaden and Jysella were still in the hallway and hadn't activated their sabers yet.

The man gave a smug look. He pulled Jaina a little closer to him, his blade still hovering under her chin. "If anybody tries to stop me, this kriff'n _rot'slot_ will die!"

My jaw dropped and I could feel shock radiate from all the Jedi…and not because we were concerned for Jaina's safety. We were shocked that he used the term _rot'slot_. That is one of those forbidden words that should _never_ be said to a woman. That expletive was one of the seven words banned on the holonet. If you wanted to call a woman something that would guarantee to infuriate her…_rot'slot_ was the word. All men in the galaxy know you don't say that word unless you never, ever want to get laid again! And your involuntary celibacy would not be restricted to the woman you insulted because I guarantee the offended lady will angrily tell _all _her female friends who will get onto the holonet social media to spread the news and before you know it you are totally unkriffable.

Oh boy. This stupid di'kut just ordered up a large order of kick ass and Jaina was ready to dish it out.

"Okay," Ben said holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "Don't do anything crazy."

A feeling of nervous anticipation suddenly came over me. The perpetrator must have sensed my unease causing him to smirk. It's too bad that he didn't realize I was worried about what Jaina was about to do to him. Although she is Force shielding I can see in her eyes she was about to strike.

He gestured at us with the vibroblade, foolishly taking it away from Jaina's neck. "You two get out of…" That was all he got out before Jaina struck with the speed of a Corellian sand panther. She took a slight step to the right and then brought a powerful hammer fist strike down into the man's groin.

Ben and I both flinched and unconsciously brought a hand over our groins in an almost sympathetic gesture. As the man screamed Jaina ducked under his upraised arm holding the vibroblade and positioned herself so his arm was now perched over her left shoulder. She then reached up and grabbed the man's wrist and turned it ever so slightly so his elbow was now resting on her shoulder. She then forcefully pulled down his arm using her shoulder as a fulcrum until his elbow bent in a direction that it was never intended to bend.

The man screamed again and the vibroblade clattered to the ground. She kicked it away as she spun to the right bringing her elbow crashing into the right side of his face. Blood, and I think a tooth, splattered against a far wall. Jaina completed her spin until she was behind the man and facing the same direction. She then did a leg sweep bringing the injured culprit crashing to the ground.

This all happened in less than a second or two, but my mind was racing so fast that it appeared to happen in slow motion. Jaina put a knee on the man's back and held his head down with a hand. She then looked up at us and raised an eyebrow. "Well…is anybody going to cuff this sleemo?"

"Erek," Ben called out. "All clear."

Erek rushed in with his stun cuffs as Jaina moved back to let the law enforcement officer work. He cuffed the man's left hand behind his back but when he reached for the intruder's right hand he hesitated when he saw it bent in a completely unnatural manner. "Stang!" he muttered hesitant to touch such a gruesomely twisted limb.

"For Sithsake," Jaina swore as she bent down and grabbed the man's right hand and wrestled it back so Erek could slap the other cuff on his wrist. The perpetrator screamed at the movement of his broken arm… and for a second I almost felt sorry for him…almost. He shouldn't have been sexually assaulting women, or trying to take Jaina hostage and he definitely shouldn't have used the R-word when referring to the second best female Jedi in the order (My Master being the best) and probably the third best Jedi warrior overall after Luke and Mara.

Erek pulled the man to his feet and looked at us. "I need somebody to accompany us to the hospital. I don't need him to pull a Jedi mind trick on me or the ambulance driver."

"I'll go," said Jaina, which caused the suspect's eyes to go wide and he started freaking out and begging Erek to keep that '_psycho rot'slot away from him'_. Erek grabbed the man's injured arm and jerked him around so he was facing the officer. The man screamed at the movement.

"Don't you ever use that word again!" Erek snarled. He didn't clarify what he would do if the man did repeat the word, but a threat was implied. Erek looked at Jaina and gave her a flirtatious smile. "I'm sorry about my prisoner's manners Jedi Solo."

I was shocked when Jaina didn't roll her eyes at the officer's obvious interest…instead she smiled. "Thank you."

Ha! Now I think I know why Erek was so interested in knowing more about the Jedi…he had his eye on Jaina. I guess he would like to see what Force enhanced sex is. Ha ha! Good Luck buddy. Jaina likes pilots.

Erek looked at us. "I need a volunteer to go with me."

"I'll go," Jaden said. "I suspect that Jaina, Talon and Ben will have to go to the station to give their statements."

"I'll go with you Jaden," Jysella offered. I thought Jaden was going to say no, but he simply nodded.

We did have to go down to the station. There we spent four hours filling out long, detailed reports and giving a full account as to what happened. I couldn't help but feel good about taking a criminal off the streets. Hopefully he will be convicted and I will find some justice for Sara.

We still don't know who this guy is. He refused to talk to the police. I didn't recognize the criminal…and since I grew up at the Temple I was positive this wasn't a knight or ex-knight/Apprentice. That was a relief. We didn't need anybody sullying the reputation of the Jedi…well, any more than I do.

It would be interesting to know where this guy learned to do a mind rub and mind tricks. It is possible it is a self-taught talent. If so, it's a great waste of potential. He might have become a Jedi Knight if he didn't decide on a life of crime.

Uncle Luke is working with the police to ensure this guy doesn't escape. I think he is recommending stuncuffs and sentry droid guards.


	26. Chapter 26

_**Entry 30**_

The creep we caught is being held in the securest wing of the Armand Isard Correctional Facility. He still refuses to talk, but his DNA was taken and is being run through the Galactic Alliance DNA Database or GADNAD as it is usually referred to. Three more assault cases were discovered including one more pregnancy. This guy could have kids all over the galaxy.

I was told the trial probably wouldn't happen for months while the prosecutors put their case together. I may be called in to testify.

Shortly after this sleemo's capture Ben was officially knighted. It was done at the temple in the Hall of Knighthood. The Grand Master and most of the Jedi Council members were part of the ceremony while others (Jedi, apprentices, friends and family) watched.

I don't remember everything that Grand Master Skywalker said during the ceremony, but I do remember him saying he was very proud of his son. At that point I saw my Aunt Mara wipe her eyes and I realized she was crying. My mother was sitting next to me and she's all teary eyed. I have no idea why women cry at happy events.

I do remember one quote that Uncle Luke said that stuck with me. "The power of a lightsaber may win the battle, but wars are won by spiritual power and that power is derived from the Force. May the Force be with you."

After that was said Ben's Master, who happened to be my father, came up and pinned on the emblem of a Jedi Sentinel. That is the Jedi specialty that Ben decided on. He will do further training for that field. After he pinned on the crest I saw my father wipe his eyes. Stang he's all choked up also. I guess that is expected. Ben was Dad's first and only apprentice. Ben had been training with him for over a decade.

Ben chose to be a sentinel because it is a Jedi profession that lies somewhere between a Jedi Guardian (like my Dad) and a Jedi Consular. Sentinels are skilled fighters but they also specialize in slicing, demolitions, stealth and security. They can work as Jedi investigators and aid local law enforcement. Ben said he is going to attend university for a criminal Justice degree and then he will spend another sixteen weeks enrolled in the Galactic Alliance Law Enforcement Academy. This academy trains individuals to work within the Interplanetary Criminal Police Organization or IPCPO.

I think it is an interesting field. I think my Dad would want me to be a Jedi Guardian, but pilot or sentinel appeal to me also. But that might be because I screwed up my first traditional Jedi Guardian mission, but my last two successful Jedi operations were more suited to a Sentinel. I am still finishing my secondary school studies so I have some time to think about this.

.

.

.

_**Entry 31**_

Dad found out that the_ Wild Karrde_ was in orbit over Coruscant. That's the name of the ship owned by Talon Karrde, a former smuggler and now legitimate trader. He is also the man I'm named after. Shortly after my father was discovered on Wayland he was asked by Uncle Luke to train as a Jedi, but my father refused and instead took a job with Talon Karrde. My Aunt Mara was also employed by Karrde and I think my father wanted to stay near her. He said she was like a sister to him and he didn't want to lose what little family he had. He worked as a trader only a few months before the return of the Emperor Reborn. After his run in with the Emperor everything changed and both my dad and Aunt Mara decided to train as Jedi.

Some of my dad's best friends were crew members on the_ Wild Karrde._ There was Talon, Chin, Aves and of course Mara when she had worked on the ship. So whenever the ship is nearby my father takes the opportunity to visit. This time he decided to drag me along.

We took Dad's shuttled and docked with the _Wild Karrde_. As we exit the docking ring Talon Karrde was there to greet us.

"Mark, it's good to see you again," Karrde said as he gave my father a hug and a slap on the back. He then turned to me. "And how is my namesake?" He gave me a broad smile and pulled me into a quick hug.

"I'm fine." I said as we parted.

Karrde ran a hand over his beard as he regarded me with a smirk. "I heard you are still getting in trouble."

I shrugged. "I am a victim of circumstances."

Karrde laughed and gave me a light slap on the back. "I'm sure that's it."

We were walking through the cargo area of the ship heading towards the crew quarters when I heard a loud menacing growl. I stop and look at Karrde.

He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "That's just my new vornskr pup. Don't worry she's tamed…just don't make any sudden movements until she gets a chance to check you out."

Karrde opened the door to the crew quarters and suddenly I was confronted with Karrde's so called 'pup'. The vornskr may be a juvenile, but she is still huge with a mouth full of large sharp teeth. The creature bounded up to me like she is going to attack. I was trying to decide what to do when I heard Karrde whisper, "Just be still."

I took a deep breath and braced for impact…but I was surprised when the animal halted at my feet. The dark brown canine-like animal circled me while sniffing my trousers. She came around and smelled my boots for a few seconds when, to my horror, she shoved her muzzle into my crotch.

"Ahhh!" I gasped nervously. I know animals often do this to get your scent, but I really don't like rows of razor sharp teeth positioned a few millimeters from my most treasured assets.

"Princess!" I heard a female voice call out. "Get away from that thing…you don't know where it's been!"

The Vornskr turned around and went to the owner of the voice. I looked up and saw Talon Karrde's youngest daughter Zylie smirking at me.

I let out a relieved breath and then glared at girl. "That's not funny, Zylie."

She gave me a sardonic laugh. "I think it's funny, very funny." She bent down and ran her hands over the vornskr's coarse fur. "You don't want to bite him, Princess, you might catch some disease."

"Sorry Talon," Karrde said with an apologetic look. "She just turned thirteen and you know how teenagers are."

My dad laughed. "I hope you have better luck with your teenagers than I'm having with mine."

Zylie and her pet went down the corridor ahead of us. I turned to Karrde. "Who names a vicious animal 'Princess'?"

"A thirteen year old girl, that's who." Karrde laughed. "Zylie named her."

I rolled my eyes. "It figures."

Dad and Karrde go off to talk and reminisce about their old adventures leaving me with Zylie and an ill tempered Vornskr. We walked into the dining area of the ship and sat down.

"So," I said trying to break the awkward silence between us. "Is your sister Valla around?"

Zylies eyes narrowed. "No, she is planet side with Mom." She gave me a suspicious look. "You better not let my dad catch you sniffing around Valla. He knows your reputation. You don't want to get my dad angry." She raised an eyebrow. "You do know that Dad is good at killing Force-users."

I gave a snort. "Yes Zylie, I know how your dad took down the Emperor Reborn…with my dad's help."

"He also captured your Grand Master," she said smugly.

I laugh. "Zylie, I know your dad's a great man…why do you think I was named after him."

"I still can't believe someone like you was named after my father," she said scornfully.

"What's wrong with me Zylie?" I asked her. "I just helped out in a criminal investigation. I got some scumbag off the streets."

She humphed. "I saw that on the news. I guess that is sorta cool," she reluctantly admitted. "Did you beat him up?"

I shook my head. "No, Jaina took him down."

She grinned. "That's even cooler. Talon Tantiss needs a girl to fight his battles."

I shrugged. "When the girl is Jaina Solo…it's nothing to be embarrassed about. She is one of the best. And she's a full Knight, I'm just an apprentice."

Zylie nodded and then looked directly at me, scrutinizing my face. Her expression scrunched up in amusement. "What's that under your nose?" She laughed again. "Are you trying to grow a mustache?"

I reach up and touch my upper lip to feel the sparse facial hair. "Maybe." Shavit, I was hoping she wouldn't notice. A few days ago I started wondering if I would look better with a beard like my father…so I stopped shaving.

She laughed. "Why bother? Your skin and facial hair are the same color."

Okay, this kid is getting on my nerve. She's so irritating. "I just started growing it. Give it time and I will have an awesome beard and mustache like my dad. You'll notice it then."

She started laughing. "Hi, I'm Talon Tantiss. I may not look like much now, but I'm drinking blue milk and I will soon grow big and strong with face-fur to impress the girls," she said doing her best impersonation of a holonet commercial for the Blue Milk Processing Association.

"Knock it off, Zylie."

She smirked. "So are you going to take on the Jedi-cool swaggerific look like Kyp Durron? You know, black cape, long hair, tight straight leg black pants, large leather cod piece and a pathetic attempt at a mustache that makes it look like he's got mange?"

"No," I protested. "When did you see Kyp?"

"Dad gave him a ride to Taris for some mission." She rolled her eyes. "Gods, he was hitting up on Valla all during the trip. Gross! I mean he is so old! He has to be…like forty. I bet he struts around the Temple winking at the girls and telling them they are totally _'wizard'_."

I couldn't help but laugh. "The only person I've ever heard say 'wizard' was Streen." This conversation was getting boring, so I stood and prepared to leave. "Well Zylie, I could spend all day talking to you, but I'm not. I think I'll go talk to Chin or Aves or anybody but you."

"Whatever." She said with typical young teen attitude. I got up and left her behind. Stang she's annoying.

I found Chin and we sat around his room watching holos. I wonder if my dad knows about Chin's impressive skinholo collection. I just saw the titles…and yes he does have _The Taming of the Jedi_. That is sort of creepy since everybody knows that movie is suppose to represent Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara. Changing the names to Lucky Skyrunner and Mari Sapphire didn't fool anybody. Ha! I didn't dare watch any though…not that I would want to. That would be a bit unsettling. Also, my father would have a fit if he caught me watching an adult holo. Instead we watched a horror flick about Rakghouls.

I'll take a Rakghoul over Zylie Karrde anyday.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Entry 32**_

I found out that Tahiri is pregnant. Anakin shoots, he scores. I can't believe he is going to have a kid already. He is only four-and-a-half years older than me and he has a wife and kid on the way. All I can say is…better him than me. HA! I am in no hurry to get tied down.

_**Entry 33**_

Oh boy, was my mother irritated this afternoon. I knew she had the day off from the restaurant today, so I decided to stop by and see if she was making anything good for lunch. I hate eating in the Temple dining hall. The food is not that great. So I stopped over to my parents' quarters to try to scrounge up a real meal.

When I walked in their apartment I could feel my mother's jumbled emotions through the Force. I walk over to the kitchen and she is opening and closing the cabinets a little too forcefully.

"What's wrong Mom?"

She looked up at me and I could see her jaw tighten. "Nothing."

I groaned. I was told by my father that when a woman says nothing is wrong that means something is very, very wrong.

"What did dad do?" I asked her knowingly. My father probably bought another speeder bike.

She shook her head. "Your dad didn't do anything. I am a little irritated with some of the Jedi at this temple."

My brow shot up. Other than the Skywalkers and Horns Mom doesn't socialize much with the Temple Jedi. "What happened?"

My mom put some food in the oven and then wiped her hands with a kitchen cloth. She sighed and then motioned me to sit with her at the dining table.

"I went to watch your dad and Ben spar today in the gym." She took a deep breath and then continued. "I was sitting in the bleachers behind two female Jedi about your age."

"And?" I asked when she took a long pause.

"Ben and your Dad were sparring, jumping around and doing flips…it was very impressive." She drummed her fingers on the table in irritation. "Anyway these two females were ewwwing and ahhhing at the remarkable performance. Then one girl said '_You're right, he is hot looking and I don't even like redheads._'"

Mom stopped and smiled. "I thought it was cute that Ben had some lady admirers. The other girl said, _'You should see him shirtless in the gym. He's really muscular_', then the other Jedi said, _'And he is so big'. _She then giggled and said, _'I wonder if everything is proportionally as huge'."_

My jaw dropped. I am not surprised that female Jedi have a thing for Ben. Despite me kidding him about being a freckled-faced redhead, there are actually a lot of ladies that find him attractive…especially among the female Jedi apprentices. He has the facial features of his dad, but he is much taller than his father and he is by far more muscular. That is the result of being a gym regular and training with my dad for ten years. No, that wasn't a surprise. What got my jaw dropping was my mother actually was telling me these girls were trying to figure out the proportions of Ben's…package.

Before I could tell my mom that I'd rather not discuss this subject she continued her story. "I was shocked that they would be so…forward." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "But then the other female said something more shocking." Mom turned to me and her eyes narrowed. "The other girl said, _'I looked up his name on the HoloNet and I found out that Tantiss is the name of a mountain."_

I made an audible gasp and then bit my lower lip and tried not to laugh. These girls were talking about my dad! I hate to admit it, but this is also not a huge surprise. Although he is what I considered '_older than dirt'_, for some reason the lady Jedi apprentices are attracted to the Masters. It's a prestige thing I think.

My mother scowled at me. "It's not funny. The other girl said, _'That's one mountain I wouldn't mind climbing'._" My mother made a huffing noise. "I was about to say something but the other girl said, '_Don't waste your time. He's married. Jedi Okea once tried to proposition him and he laughed in her face'. _Then the other girl said, '_Wasn't Jedi Okea transferred last year to the Jedi sub-temple on Ossus?'_" My mother glared at me. "Did you know about that?"

I shook my head. "No, I didn't, but I know dad would never cheat on you, mom."

She sighed. "That was the general opinion among those two women. Your dad was un-seducible."

I looked at her confused. "Then why are you mad, Mom?"

She shrugged. "It bothers me that young girls are lusting after your father."

I laughed. "Mom, I'm trying my best to get them all lusting after me, but there is so much one man can do."

Mom smacked me on the shoulder. "You're impossible."

I grinned. "So what did you do mom? Did you just leave?" I had to ask her because mom is not the type of woman that would walk away from that situation.

Mom chuckled. "No, I interrupted their conversation and introduced myself. I told them I was Mrs. Tantiss and the only person in the galaxy who ever reached the peak of Mount Tantiss. And _'Yes'_ he _is _proportionally huge everywhere."

"Mom! Gross! That is way too much information!" Oh Force, this is going to get around the Temple. "What did they do?"

Mom gave me a smug smile. "They turned bright red, apologized, and slunk out of the gym."

I was both horrified and highly amused. Right then my father came into the apartment smiling brightly. He took one look at my mother and his smile slipped off his face. He can see mom is upset.

I got up and walked to the door. "See you Mom and Dad. I'm going to the dining hall to eat."

There was no way in the Nine Corellian Hells that I was going to stick around. I'm sure dad is alright. He didn't do anything wrong…but I am fairly certain he is going to be wearing a shirt in the gym from now on. Ha!


	28. Chapter 28

_**Entry 34**_

I finished secondary school this week and now I have to make a decision as to what to do with my life. I could go to college or postpone higher education and continue my Jedi training until knighthood like Ben did. Jaden had done the former…mainly because he wanted to be a Jedi healer and having a medical degree would greatly help him in that venue.

I had asked my Dad if I should consult the Grand Master to see what I should do. Dad just scoffed and said it was my life and I was that master of my destiny, not Uncle Luke.

Dad has a weird relationship with Grand Master Skywalker. He goes on missions and follows orders, but he makes it very clear that he's doing it because he wants to. I have yet to see my Uncle Luke make Dad do something he adamantly opposed. My mom said it was because Dad is Luke's altered clone. He is determined to be his own man and not live in Luke's shadow and if that means defying Luke…then so be it. Mom said my father would walk away from the Jedi if it ever conflicted with his family life. "I am married to your mother," my dad would often say. "Not the Jedi."

I am leaning toward going to college part time and continue my Jedi training. Dad also recommended that I attend some military schools. Despite what he says about doing what I want…I am fairly certain he would be thrilled if I went to Jump Trooper training. Dad loves the military and volunteers often to accompany GA troopers into combat as a Jedi asset.

In fact he once told me he would rather be a full time Jump Trooper than a Jedi. If he wasn't married and with kids he probably would have left the Jedi Order to do so. But Dad knew that would mean he might be stationed off of Coruscant and he couldn't bear to be away from Mom and he wasn't going to make her give up being head chef of the most exclusive restaurant on the planet so she could follow him around the galaxy and end up stationed on some rim world remote outpost.

I asked Dad why he joined the Jedi if he didn't like it and I was surprised by his answer…he did it to impress Mom and my grandparents. He thought he had no chance to win my mother's heart if he was just a smuggler in Karrde's organization. You know…I sometimes think dad has a self-esteem problem. I guess when you are created in a laboratory and fated to become a muted, chemically lobotomized slave to a dark Jedi…it might cause problems with your self-image.

Anyway, I thought it was funny that dad became a Jedi to get the girl. Ha…we are more alike than I thought. Not that I am becoming a Jedi just to get the girls…but it doesn't hurt. We are local celebrities. I can't walk around town in my Jedi robes without being stopped and asked if I will pose with a tourist for an Imager photo.

A lot of women (and possibly men…I have to ask Jaina or Jysella) think it is prestigious to date a Jedi. In fact there are women who cruise for Jedi outside the Temple. Some of the guys call them Temple-yummies. Of course, I wouldn't dare call a woman by this derogatory term…mainly because if my Master ever heard me use that particular phrase my shoulders might suddenly become lonesome for my head. Making sexist comments around Mara Jade Skywalker is not good for your health (and not just Aunt Mara, my Mother can be scary when she's mad).

The Temple-yummies are basically Jedi groupies and they have a unique way of picking up Jedi. They walk by the temple and stop a young Jedi and ask him if he knew how to get to some dangerous location in the lower levels. The Jedi would tell her how to get there and then warn the pretty young lady of the dangers. Inevitably, the young lady will convince the Knight or Apprentice to escort her there. On the way to the location comlink codes are often exchanged…and then one thing leads to another.

I am not into dating women I meet on the street, but Valin is the Master at escorting ladies around Coruscant—Valin Horn Male Escort. HA! I think he has dated over two dozen young ladies he has met this way…but he is of Corellian blood…so that is sort of expected. Valin once told me Raynar was outside the temple when a Jedi groupie stopped to talk to him…but it was a guy. HA! Hey, maybe Raynar shouldn't wear those outlandish, silk robes and capes.

I know I shouldn't laugh...but to be honest, I don't like the guy. He is an insufferable, arrogant, boorish lout.

But I wandered off the subject…getting back to my dad and the Jedi. He agreed to train as a Jedi to impress my Mom. I guess it worked because she married him.

Still, dad says he really doesn't feel comfortable being a Jedi. He told me there is always the threat of going to the darkside and that scares him.

I remember telling him, "There is no way you would ever turn to the darkside Dad."

He just shook his head and said. "Don't be so sure." After an awkward pause between us he continued. "The future is always in motion."

I asked him what he meant by that, but he just waved me off saying he had an appointment to go to.

I sometimes wonder if Dad saw something…maybe a dark vision of the Future. Did Dad see himself going to the Darkside while in that evil cave on Dagobah? If so, that doesn't mean anything. Uncle Luke saw himself becoming Darth Vader. It doesn't necessarily show what you will become, but what you fear you might become.

My Dad would never turn to the Darkside. He loves his family way too much.

I'm rambling again.

College or Knighthood, which should come first? I need to think about my decision some more.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Entry 35**_

I told my dad I decided to concentrate on becoming a Jedi Guardian and asked him if he could arrange for me to attend Jump Trooper training. I wanted to have a well-rounded military education so I could easily work as a Jedi asset with regular troops like he does.

I have never seen my dad happier. Ha! Dad was always telling me it doesn't matter to him what I did with my life as long as it's honest work, but when I told him I want to follow his footsteps his chest puffed out so far I thought he would bust out of his tunic. That makes me feel good. I hate to admit it, but part of the reason I decided on Jedi Guardian is to make my father proud. I know he says he's proud of me, but I am such a pain in the butt to him with all the trouble I get into…I'm fairly certain I'm not on the top of his list of favorite sons.

I told my mother about my decision and she didn't seem too thrilled. I think she would rather see me in a less dangerous profession like a Jedi healer like my brother or historian like Master Tionne Solusar. I'm not saying that Mom was opposed to me going the Jedi Guardian route, but I don't think she's looking forward to worrying about another loved one going into harm's way.

Somehow I can't see myself being a Jedi Historian like Tionne. I don't like doing research and I don't think I would be any good at playing a double viol and singing Jedi ballads. Ha!

I shouldn't tease Master Solusar. She is great at playing the Viol and has a great voice…but as a teenage boy I really don't want to learn about the history of the Jedi via ballad. I mean she once taught us about Nomi Sunrider and the Great Sith War by singing _The Ballad of Nomi Sunrider_. Some of the girls liked the song, but my brother and I were sitting in the back of the auditorium bored to death and hoping an actual Sith Lord would show up to interrupt the performance.

Come on…really…a ballad to teach us about the Great Sith War? I don't want to hear a song…I want to see a HoloAction drama with great special effects, computer generated lightsabers and lots and lots of violent action scenes.

But maybe that's just me…and every other teenage guy in the room.

But, I digress.

Dad said he'd talk to Uncle Luke about putting a training request in for me. Until then I will be working on some of the different lightsaber forms and perfecting them. The lightsaber combat methods I have almost mastered are called _Makashi_ (this is mainly for lightsaber to lightsaber dueling) and _Soresu _(using the saber to defend against a blaster).

My father favors a method called _Shien/Djem So _and he has taught me that form of combat. It is a method usually used by tall and muscular Jedi that may have less agility, but a lot of muscular power. My father doesn't like doing a lot of flips if he doesn't have to. I really need to work on the combat form called _Ataru._ This involves a lot of movement such as lunges and Force leaps. My Master is very good at it and has tried to teach me, but I doubt I will ever be as nimble and quick as Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker.

Jedi Guardian…I feel good about this decision.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Entry 36**_

I turned nineteen-years-old today. My parents threw me a big party at the restaurant they own. I got to invite my friends and family. It was a nice time and I got some greats gifts. My mom and dad got me a new Hologame system and some games. My Master bought me a really awesome vibroblade that has a boot sheath. The Solo family got me some gift certificates for food and drink at a tavern. Tionne sung me a ballad. Ha ha.

It was a nice ballad and when I saw my brother smirking I was pretty sure he told Tionne that it was something I would really like. So I made sure to tell her how much I enjoyed it. It _was _nice actually. It was the story of the attack on Wayland. That is where my dad was found. So it had real meaning to me. It got my mother crying (she's always happy crying) and I am pretty sure my Aunt Mara's eyes misted up a bit…but she would never admit it and I wasn't going to mention it just in case she decided to use my new vibroblade on me.

Ben told me he would give me my present later. It turns out that after the party he and my brother decided to drag me to a new nightclub called the _Pandering Predator_. At the club Ben met up with his gorgeous red Twi'lek friend, Niki, and Jaden hooked up with Kelli. I was afraid they were going to pair me off with Sara again …which would look weird since she was probably eight months pregnant by now, but they didn't. They introduced me to a buxom, red skinned and blue haired Zeltron named Nalli'ti.

What is it with my brother and Ben trying to hook me up with women? Do they think I can't do it myself?

Nalli'ti was an Art major at the college Jaden attended. I never dated a Zeltron before, but I heard a lot about them...like they are very liberal minded and open about relationships.

I have to admit she _is_ beautiful. She was wearing a very colorful and revealing tight outfit that showed off her best feminine qualities. Zeltrons produce pheromones that are used to attract a mate, or at least make them more alluring to others. They can also project emotions onto other people. I am pretty sure she was doing both during the night. I had trouble taking my eyes off of her. I really don't want to get too involved with a Zeltron though. I was always told they don't believe in monogamy and I wouldn't want to have a girlfriend that didn't think there was anything wrong with making out with my friends. Of course, I wasn't in the market for a love connection at this point in my life, so I just enjoyed myself. She was really nice and we had a great night of partying, but, wow, can that girl drink. I was told that Zeltrons have a second liver, which allows them to drink far more than a normal human without getting wasted. She pretty much proved that was true. Luckily Ben and Jaden were paying the bar bill tonight.

It was a fun night.

_**Entry 37**_

The Force-user rapist we caught on the Corsucanti University campus is finally going to trial. At first the suspect was going to be sequestered in a Model S-3 Force Cage possibly in a separate room where he could view the trail and give his testimony via closed-circuit Holoprojector. That was a special precaution to keep him from influencing the jury through the Force. Unfortunately, the sleemo threw a hydrospanner into the works by demanding his right to represent himself…so he is going to act as his own lawyer.

You know what they say, _'A man who acts as his own attorney has a karking di'kut as a client'_.

In this case the guy wasn't that stupid. He gets to see all the evidence against him, he gets to call in expert witnesses, and cross-examine those testifying against him. Because of this he can't be quarantined from the courtroom.

Therefore another system was needed to keep him from using the Force on the people around him. Uncle Luke was reluctant to bring in the ysalamiri into the courtroom because he really didn't want everybody to know about the creatures. He didn't need every criminal in the galaxy descending on Myrkr to capture Force-hindering ysalamiri.

He decided to tell the court officials he had a machine that can send out a Force dampening field that would saturate the courtroom. In reality it was an air-conditioned box with a ysalamiri inside. Ha! I bet criminal warlords everywhere are trying to find some way to reverse the field flow of the Force Cages.

This should be an interesting trial.


	31. Chapter 31

_**Entry 38**_

_**Note: This entry was edited after the conclusion of the trial. I was able to get a copy of the transcripts, so I was able to go back and write down exactly what was said by the trial participants.**_

**_~Talon Tantiss~_**

* * *

Okay, I need to record what is going on with this trial because it is un-kriff'n-believable. First of all, they finally got a name for this guy. Once his holo was released to the public he was identified as Venku Turman, a con artist from the planet Phindar. Obviously he graduated from swindling to sexual predator. Or maybe he simply was never caught assaulting women while he lived on Phindar. At least we had a name to call him, although I didn't mind using the nickname I had for him, _Kriff'n Sleemo_.

Venku Turman decided to bring forth an ingenious defense. He claims the spirit of a Sith Lord possessed him and therefore he was not in control of his mind and body during the possession. Because of this he cannot be held liable for his actions during the time he was not in command of his faculties. This would be a hilarious defense if it weren't for the fact that he was trying to subpoena Grand Master Skywalker as an expert witness. He wants Uncle Luke to appear for a deposition to be conducted by the suspect's attorney…who is Mr. _Kriff'n Sleemo_ himself.

Uncle Luke was really hot under the collar about the nerve of this man. The Jedi captured him and now he wants the Grand Master to testify for the defense?!

Uncle Luke got his own lawyer who argued to the judge that, _'Although Grand Master Luke Skywalker is the undoubtedly the foremost authority of the Force, Jedi and Sith in the known galaxy, he had no relationship with the suspect prior to his arrest and therefore has no duty to enter into an agreement to render services as an expert witness on request_'.

The Sleemo countered that argument stating, '_Coruscant law allows the defendant's defense attorney to compel expert testimony from a professional if the defense counsel can demonstrate a compelling necessity for the expert's testimony. The defense understands it can only ask for previously formed opinions and it cannot require the witness to engage in any out of court preparation…but since the Grand Master's Attorney has testified before the court that Master Skywalker is the foremost authority in this matter…then it seems unlikely any research would be needed to give his opinion on Force related matters'_.

Stang! Did this guy go to law school? I guess he was reading out of the law books at the time. Well, there were some arguments over this subpoena and finally the judge said this was a special circumstance.

'_Normally the defense has a multitude of possible expert witnesses to prove their case, but the Jedi is an exception,' the Judge said. 'The Jedi are a small order and all Jedi could theoretically be compelled by the Grand Master not to cooperate with the defense. The Jedi Order does not normally give public access to their library and since the law library database available to a defendant does not include any information on the Force or Sith this court rules that this is a special circumstance. Therefore if a volunteer expert witness cannot be found, this court orders the Jedi Order to provide the defendant some form of access to the Jedi Library materials.'_

Oh kriff! This is turning out bad. Uncle Luke finally agreed to act as an expert witness. I am sure the defense will call him a hostile witness.

Ha! I know this is not funny, but the arrogance of this defendant is so unbelievable that it is almost funny.

Almost.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Entry 39 **_

Since I am a witness in the trial I couldn't be in the courtroom. I was confined to the witness room until I testified. We are not supposed to talk to each other about the court case while in the room, but we were allowed to talk about other stuff. The room was packed with witnesses. There was Erek Gowen, the arresting officer and then the Jedi: Jaina, Jaden, Jysella, Ben and I. I noticed Erek likes to sit next to Jaina and flirt. Surprisingly Jaina hasn't performed some deadly throat strike to silence him…maybe Erek has a chance after all. Sara Katarka is also in the room with us along with a couple other women (who I assume are the other victims) and two men who I didn't know.

I moved over to Sara and sat down in an empty seat next to her. Her belly is huge and it looks like she will have the baby any day now…hopefully not during the trial.

"Hey Sara," I said tentatively. I am not sure how she will react to my presence. The last time we saw each other was in court. I was pleasantly surprised when she smiled at me.

"I would think you would be furious with me, after all I put you through," she said sadly and I could feel her remorse flowing through the Force.

I smiled. "It's not your fault. You couldn't know some dirt bag Force-user would make you forget what happened. It makes sense to think I was the father. Knowing what you did then, it would be the only reasonable conclusion you could come to."

She gave me a warm smile. "Thanks Talon." She looked down at the floor hesitantly. "I wish you _were_ the father. Having drunken sex with a Jedi is a much better scenario than what actually happened."

'_Of course that would mean I'm a sleemo who takes advantage of drunken women,'_ I thought, but I didn't say anything because think I know what she meant.

She started to cry and went to give her a hug, but then stopped. I wasn't sure how an assault victim would react to that type of contact. Fortunately Sara took the decision out of my hands when she turned and put her head against my shoulder. I wrapped an arm around her and tried to comfort her.

"It's going to be alright, Sara."

After a few minutes she pulled away from me apologizing for getting tears all over my Jedi robes.

"Don't worry," I said. "They are extra absorbent." After a long pause I ventured a question that was weighing on my mind. "Are you going to raise the baby?"

She shook her head. "No, and what happens to the baby depends on the outcome of this trial."

I gave her a confused look. "How so?"

"My attacker says he is innocent by reason of Sith possession and therefore he's demanding his parental rights."

I know my jaw dropped. This sleemo is trying to torment his victims beyond the crimes he did? "You're kidding me?"

She shook her head. "No, he told my lawyer that he'd pursue custody or visitation. If he is found guilty he said he'll request the court that I bring the child to the prison for visitations." She turned to me. "Have you ever visited a prison?"

I shook my head. "No, not as a visitor. I've toured a facility as part of a Jedi professional development class."

She heaved a sigh. "My lawyer told me I have to be searched…thoroughly. The baby would be searched. It would be an awful process. Meanwhile, he is blocking my plans to give the baby up for adoption. My mom is friends with a couple who have been trying to conceive for years. They would be able to give my son a better living environment and future." She hesitated for a moment. "I probably could raise him…but I don't know if I could do it…I don't know if I would harbor some resentment because of the way he was conceived." She wiped tears from her eyes. "I know that makes me sound like an awful person."

"No Sara…you are just being honest," I said. "I think most people would think that way. They just wouldn't admit it to themselves…and then they would try to raise a child while harboring those feelings. I think it's good that he is going to have a mom and dad."

"Maybe…" she said sadly.

I nodded. "I'm sure everything will turn out alright. The judge would have to be crazy to let this guy anywhere near the baby."

"I hope you're right." She rubbed her hand over her belly. "Thanks Talon. You're a good guy."

I felt so bad for Sara. She is going to have to be cross-examined by her rapist and he is practically stalking her with threats of obtaining visitation rights. This shouldn't be allowed. Why should the victims have to be re-traumatized by the perpetrator?

I'll never understand the legal system.


	33. Chapter 33

_**Entry 40**_

The trial started. The prosecution and defense gave their opening statements. The prosecutor said he would prove by DNA, Holovideo and witnesses that Venku Turman was the man sexually assaulting women and using the Force to hide his crimes. Turman said in his opening statement that although his body might have committed the crimes he was not in control of himself at the time of the attack, but, in fact he was possessed by the Spirit of a Sith that took away his free will…and therefore he is innocent by reason of Sith Possession.

Jaina, Jaden, Jysella, Ben and I were called to testify in court about Venku Turman's arrest. Jaina was in and out of the courtroom quickly. She chuckled and told me Turman was scared to cross-examine her. Unfortunately, he had no such trepidation with me.

"Mister Tantiss," the sleemo said while I was in the witness stand. "Or should I call you Jedi Tantiss?"

I leaned forward and spoke into a microphone. "I would prefer Jedi Tantiss."

Turman smirked at me. "Jedi Tantiss are you aware of the charges filed against me?"

"I don't know all the charges verbatim," I admitted. "But I know the main charge of rape."

"And are you also aware that I am accused of a sexual assault against Miss Sara Katarka?"

I wasn't sure where he was going with this line of questioning, but I already didn't like it. "Yes."

"Jedi Tantiss, isn't it true that weeks prior to my arrest you were brought to court by Miss Katarka in a paternity suit?"

"Yes, but I…"

"A yes or no will suffice," he interrupted me. "And isn't it true that you were one of the Jedi who assisted in my arrest?"

I leaned forward to the microphone. "Yes."

He glared at me. "Don't you think that is a bit of a coincidence?"

I shook my head. "No."

He turned to the jury looking astonished. "No. The man doesn't think it's a coincidence that he is first accused of impregnating Miss Katarka and then he arrests me. Me, Venku Turman, who is now accused of assaulting and impregnating Miss Katarka." He looked back at me. "Maybe it doesn't sound like a coincidence to you because it is all part of a Jedi conspiracy to frame me!" he shouted as he pointed an accusing finger at me in a dramatic fashion.

"A conspiracy?" I muttered. "I thought you were possessed by a Sith Spirit, not framed."

"Oh," Venku said in an overly theatrical manner. "So you admit I was possessed by a Sith Spirit!"

"Huh," I said confused. "No, I didn't say you were possessed."

His eyes narrowed. "Then you admit it was a Jedi conspiracy."

I turned to the judge. "I object. He's badgering the witness." That phrase just popped into my head and out of my mouth, having heard it said many times in Police holodramas.

I guess it was the wrong thing to say because the judge bit his bottom lip and tried not to laugh. "Jedi Tantiss only the lawyers can call for an objection…not a witness."

I blushed. "Oh, sorry." I turned back to the sleemo to see if he had more questions for me…which he did.

"Jedi Tantiss," _Mr. Kriff'n Sleemo_ continued. "Isn't it true that not only did _you_ provided a semen sample for the paternity case, but also two other Jedi?"

"Yes," I said reluctantly.

The defendant-turned-lawyer turned to the Jury. "What we have here is a gang of Jedi predators who were caught with their pants down, so to speak, and therefore they frame an innocent person for their crimes." He turned to me. "Isn't that true, Jedi Tantiss?"

"No and there's DNA evidence to prove it." I shouted back.

Venku's brow furrowed like he just remembered that little detail. He turned to the audience. "Ladies and gentlebeings of the Jury. We all know about Jedi Mind Tricks. I propose that this Jedi gang of sexual predators were covering their tracks by leaving the semen of innocent men at the scene of the crimes."

"Where would I get your semen?" I yelled out and then was admonished by the judge for speaking out of turn.

Venku turned and walked up to me giving me an accusing look. "Where indeed? I propose that your victims are not only woman, but also men. You take DNA from the men to frame them and then use a memory rub to make them forget."

My jaw dropped. I wasn't sure, but think he just accused me of being an equal opportunity rapist. Stang! I really don't want to visualize what he just accused me of doing. Yuck.

"I object, Your Honor," the prosecuting attorney finally spoke up. "Jedi Tantiss is not accused of any crime. The defense should not be allowed to cast disparaging remarks about him in open court."

"Overruled," the judge said. "I'll allow it, but get to the point quickly Mr. Turman."

The defendant gave the judge a greasy smile. "Of Course your honor. My theory is Jedi Tantiss and his two accomplices are using their Jedi powers to overcome women's objections and have sex with them."

"Women aren't objecting to having sex with me," I blurted out. Over in the public observation seating I could hear a groan and see my Uncle Luke smacking the palm of his hand to his forehead in dismay. I am pretty sure I said the wrong thing…again. I didn't mean it that way. I was just trying to say I wasn't going around asking women to sleep with me…therefore they have no need to object.

Venku pounced on that comment. "You never had a woman object because you are using a Force suggestion!" He looked over to the Jury. "After he takes away the woman's will to object he has his way with her and then he uses DNA taken from his previous male victims to impregnate or contaminate the crime scene to hide his misconduct." He then melodramatically turned and went back to the defense table. "No further questions your honor."

The judge looked at the prosecuting attorney. "Do you have further questions for the witness?"

The lawyer stood with a sigh. "Jedi Tantiss, did you ever have sex with Miss Katarka?"

"No," I said adamantly.

"Are you a part of a roving gang of Jedi sexual predators?"

"No!"

"If you wanted to have sex with a woman would you have to use a Jedi Mind Trick?"

"No."

"What would you do instead?" the prosecuting attorney asked.

"I would use my classic good looks and charm I suppose," I said jokingly. There were some chuckles from the Jury. I looked over to my father who was sitting next to my Uncle Luke as he moaned and buried his head in his hands.

"Did you ever do a Jedi mind trick on Mr. Turman to sexually seduce him in order to acquire a sample of his DNA?" the lawyer continued.

"What! NO!"

"No further questions Your Honor," the attorney for the prosecution said and sat down at his seat.

The judge looked at the defendant. "Mr. Turman, do you have any more questions for the witness?"

"None, Your Honor," he mercifully said and I was excused.

This is a bunch of mynok crap. It is bad enough that I get blamed for knocking up Sara, now this guy is trying to say I am sexually assaulting men and women and trying to do a cover up!?

I am glad the ysalamiri was in the room or I might have gone to the darkside and shot Force lightning at him!


	34. Chapter 34

_**Entry 41**_

After my testimony I was brought back to the witness waiting room. Sara was called next. Before she left I wished her good luck. I really hoped that sleemo didn't humiliate her like he did me. She smiled and said. "Venku Turman used the Force to make me forget his face. Today I am going to make damn sure he'll never forget mine."

I was proud of her. She has only weeks until delivery and she is facing further litigation with that sleemo over custody of the baby, but she is standing tall and resolute.

A few minutes after she left my father swung by the witness room and said Sara would be the last witness of the day and I was excused. He offered me a ride home to the Temple. On the drive home my dad sat next to me in the airspeeder smirking. I looked over at him. "What?"

My dad chuckled. "_I_ _would use my classic good looks and charm', _he said trying to mimic my voice, but I am fairly sure I don't sound that stupid."Ha! That was almost as good as, '_Women aren't objecting to having sex with me'"_ He shook his head. "This is going to be all over the media Talon. It's a good thing that I dye my hair because I'm sure it would be gray by now."

I frowned. "Well at least you're not being accused of collecting DNA from unsuspecting men to throw the police off an extensive trail of sexual assaults."

My dad laughed out loud. "How exactly does that collection process work?"

"Shut up!" I practically snarled at my dad. I was horrified by the questioning today. I dread seeing the spin the holonet puts on my testimony.

_**Entry 42**_

The legitimate media venues had headlines praising the grace and determination of Sara Katarka. The sleemo-sludge Holozines had headlines like: _Suspected love child of Grand Master admits to being a Jedi stud! Dozens of women now claim Talon Tantiss fathered their child!_

So now I'm the one requesting paternity tests to prove my innocence. Why doesn't Ben have these problems? He _**IS**_ the son of Luke Skywalker and I am fairly certain he's getting much more action then I am…unfortunately.

The galaxy is not fair…but I have a feeling I should get used to that.


	35. Chapter 35

_**Entry 43**_

Will this court case ever end? I think Turman knows he is going to jail so he keeps asking for a court recess so he could do one thing or another. It is making this trial drag on and on. I think the Judge is allowing the recesses because he doesn't want to be accused of judicial misconduct, such as being biased or hostile against the defense. He definitely doesn't want the sleemo to call for a mistrial because then the court case would have to start all over.

_**Entry 44**_

Uncle Luke was called as an expert witness on Sith Possession and because of his time on Byss he knew it was possible for a Sith to possess a body. Palpatine almost took over my dad's body. If dad didn't grab his ysalamari in time my brother and I might never have been born and we probably be ruled by the Emperor Reborn in my father's body.

In that case, I would hope I'd never be born. I have seen holo dramas of the Emperor and he was one creepy human. I wouldn't like to have old yellow-eyes as my father and probably some Imperial concubine as my mother...especially since I discovered Palpatine's only known son had an eye growing out of the back of his head. What? I'm cracking up while writing this. Palpatine supposedly fathered a white-haired humanoid mutant with three eyes. That's hilarious. I really hope he didn't cut any child support checks without a paternity test. Maybe he should have taken a closer look to his three-eyed security guard. Ha! Just kidding. Genetically, I guess any children would look like my Dad...you know, tall, blond, muscular and really good looking like me. Ha!

Once again I am rambling.

Getting back to the trial...I wasn't in the courtroom during his testimony but I was told Uncle Luke didn't fall into any traps. When Venku was questioning him about Sith and possession Uncle Luke said he couldn't really help him unless he revealed the name of the alleged Sith that occupied his body.

When Venku didn't answer right away the judge told him to disclose the name or release his witness. The Sleemo probably didn't research his defense too well because he named one of the only Sith Lords he was probably familiar with…Palpatine.

Uncle Luke scoffed. "That's impossible. After the destruction of Byss the Jedi found the spirit of Palpatine and imprisoned him within something called the Wall of Light. It would be easy enough to confirm that he's still trapped. Besides…" Uncle Luke gave this guy a snarky look. "I've known Palpatine, I've fought Palpatine and you, Sir, are no Palpatine."

Ha, ha, I love that. My dad was cracking up when he told me.

My uncle told the jury that Palpatine did not possess Venku Turman. This scumbag was just a low-level Force-user taking advantage of women.

Eventually the case went to the Jury. It only took two hours before they came back with a guilty verdict. The judge sentenced him to twenty years of confinement and severed Turman's parental rights to all known children conceived through his crimes. That made Sara happy…and I was very happy for her. I hope her son has a good life.

I was told the Armand Isard Correctional Facility is adding a special wing with specialized cells that act as large Model S-3 Force Cages. My Uncle Luke was a bit concerned that the prison added an entire wing of these specialized cells and not just one. I swear my dad and uncle act a little paranoid when it comes to the government and the Jedi. First it was the Phrik ore on the planet Seylott and now they are suspicious about the GA building a wing of prison cells that are modified Force cages. It is almost like they expect the government to turn on them.

I am hoping that my dad and the Grand Master are just government conspiracy theorists and they didn't have a vision that they're not telling me about.

I'm glad that the trial is over. It took three months! And I was told that is really fast for a court case that generated so much public interest.

Now things can get back to normal…I hope.

_**Entry 45**_

Tahiri and Anakin had their baby. It is a boy that they named Jos. He has blond hair and blue eyes and is cute for a toothless crying machine.

I have seen holos of Anakin when he was a baby and this kid is the spitting image. My brother said there is an evolutionary explanation for this. He said he read an article published by the Journal of Human Evolution that stated babies look like their dad when they are very young to ensure their survival. In ancient days the only person who could be one hundred percent positive that a child is genetically theirs was the mother. In those primitive times it was imperative that the mother have the support of the father to help raise the baby. If the father didn't believe the child was his he might abandon the woman and child. For this reason, humans developed a unique evolutionary survival technique—babies have a tendency to favor the father when born. Once a father is reassured a child is his, he will invest time and energy hunting for food for mother and child. The child eventually may end up looking like his or her mother when older, but as babies they look more like the father. It's like a built in evolutionary paternity test.

My brother is always throwing around medical facts like that. At least this fact isn't disgusting or weird like Hutt apophallation or how a Filar-Nitzan—a gaseous sentient being—was extracted from a large nosed Kubaz who accidently inhaled the creature.

In a galaxy full of strange and unusual sentient beings and creatures there is no shortage of strange medical stories.


	36. Chapter 36

_**Entry 46**_

The last few months have been without drama…amazingly. I am still working on my lightsaber forms. Corran Horn is teaching me hand-to-hand combat. I still can't beat Jacen in grappling, but I am getting close. I am fairly good at telekinesis, such as Force shoves. Corran can't do telekinesis for some reason and he hates it when people use it on him. When we train at hand-to-hand we are always in a room with a ysalamiri.

I wanted to learn some new skills so I decided to do some research. I tried working with the Jedi Holocron and talk to Master Bodo Baas the holographic gatekeeper, but for some reason when I told him my name he said he wouldn't work with '_The spawn of the insolent forgetter of names'_. When I asked my Master what Master Baas meant by that, she laughed and said my father really irritated the gatekeeper years ago and the old Jedi is holding a grudge.

Since I can't use the Holocron, I have to research the old fashioned way by reading books found on Ossus. Yuck! Who reads a book anymore? They are dusty and musty, but when I complained I was told Tionne was looking for a volunteer to scan the thousands of flimsiplast tomes and put them in digital format. No thank you, I'll read the books and keep my mouth shut.

Inside one book I found a reference to something called Postcognition. This is when you can hold onto an object and tell what person held it before you and what he or she was doing. A person who masters this technique can also go into a chamber and see what had transpired in that particular room. I was told we were drawing upon the Force's memory.

My Master knows how to do Postcognition, but is not very good at it. Surprisingly, the Grand Master has trouble with the technique also. I was told there maybe a genetic component to some Jedi skills. This is a little confusing because my dad can't do it almost at all…but for some reason when I was younger my mom could walk into a room and look at me or my brother and immediately know we were either up to no good or we already did something wrong. I sometimes wonder if she has Force abilities and is just keeping it a secret.

After about four months of training I finally was able to perform postcognition. I need to work on control though, because sometimes after I practice that particular psychometry technique I can't turn it off for up to an hour. Which isn't the most pleasant thing. For example, when I go to the 'fresher it can be somewhat disconcerting when touching the handle to flush the toilet. I really don't want a vision of what the last person who touched the handle was doing.

I also learned _never ever_ go to my parents' apartment after I have trained using technique. I did that once and it probably physiologically scarred me for life. I shudder at the vision I saw when I sat on my parents' couch. I jumped out of the seat and went to the dining area, but even the kitchen table wasn't safe to touch. I was supposed to stay and have lunch with my parents, but I lost my appetite. Stang! I can't believe I don't have a dozen brothers and sisters!

I read about Jedi who could do a memory rub. Maybe I need to find a master that can do that to me and get these disturbing images out of my brain. Ack!

_**Entry 47**_

Ha! I was in a Jedi apprentice class today with Tionne Solusar about personal conduct and making sure our actions give a positive appearance to the public. Part of the class was about dating. We were given a history lesson on the Jedi Order and their restriction on attachment. We were told that this no longer applies to the Jedi, but Jedi Apprentices and full Knights who teach at the Temple were discouraged from dating each other for fear of the appearance of impropriety.

The Skywalker twins raised their hands and asked questions. "So an Apprentice can date a Jedi Knight that is not in a teaching position, right?" Jak or maybe it was Owen asked.

Tionne nods. "Yes, as long as they are not in a teacher/student situation." She pointed at the other twin who still had his hand up.

"Are Masters allowed to date each other?" he asked. I thought that was an odd question. Everybody knows they can.

Tionne looked a little confused. "Yes, of course."

Then the other twin shouts out. "So Master Dating is okay."

I started laughing. The twins are doing a little word play at Tionne's expense. When Uncle Luke finds out they are in trouble.

Master Tionne looked baffled. She obviously didn't pick up the joke. "Of course Masters date each other."

I bit my bottom lip and tried to reign in my laughter but I could feel my face flush from the effort.

I think Hanna got embarrassed because she stood up and left while scowling at her brothers. "So immature!" I heard her say in a snarky tone.

Finally Tionne realized what they were saying. She blushed and dismissed the class except for the twins. "Jak and Owen you stay here."

Oops, somebody is in trouble. Better them than me. Ha!


	37. Chapter 37

_**Entry 48**_

I haven't gotten in trouble for months. I must be going for a record. It makes me a little nervous. When is the scat going to hit the preverbal fan? Nothing goes this smoothly for me for this long. I may actually make it to my next birthday without getting in the sleemo holozine tabloids. Well, one can hope.

.

.

.

_**Entry 49**_

I went on a mission with Ben this week. This is the first time that we have worked together without a Master with us. Usually my dad or my Aunt Mara accompany us because we were not knighted yet, but now that Ben is a fully fledged Jedi knight he was assigned a mission and he asked me to join him, which I think is cool. I need the experience.

We were assigned to guard Queen Kaie Indupar acting ruler of the Induparan Crown Worlds…at least until a pure blood heir of the royal line claimed the throne. If the Queen was of the Indupar royal bloodline she could rule, but the late King Odaj Indupar married a commoner so when he died a few days ago apparently without an heir there was a mad rush among the royals to claim the throne. That was until the Queen announced that she was two weeks pregnant with the King's child. Fearing assassination attempts on her unborn child's life she fled to Coruscant.

She requested the best guards and suggested that Jedi be assigned to her. I was really excited to be working with Ben. Given the responsibility to protect a royal made me feel like I was more than an apprentice.

I didn't want to make the same mistake I did on Seylott. I researched the planet Indupar and the royal family of the same name. The late King had been a large man in this mid-thirties who looked very much like Prince Isolder, with blond hair and blue eyes. The queen was a local blond-haired beauty that caught the King's eye when she was working as a teenage model. There was a whirlwind romance and six years ago, at the tender age of nineteen, she became his wife.

The planet has an interesting history. The world was within Separatist space during the Clone Wars. Later it fell under the Eriadu Authority, which was a splinter faction of the Galactic Empire that was formed shortly after the Battle of Yavin. Despite Indupar technically being an Imperial world under the Eriadu Authority, it still maintained its monarchy. After the fall of the Empire the Indupar Crown worlds became independent. They were not part of the GA, Imperial Remnant or any other large governing authority. From what I read Queen Kaie and her husband King Odaj Indupar were the most popular royals in recorded history. The Royal couple strived to establish jobs and schools for the populace and they worked diligently to end poverty on their planet. In the past the royals were known to tax the non-royals into squalor, but King Ojaj Indupar put a cap on taxes of ten percent and didn't squander the money on big palaces, but instead built colleges and libraries.

According to the HoloNet reports the citizens were terrified at the prospect that a less loving leader would take the throne and were thrilled when they discovered the Queen was pregnant.

I am looking forward to protecting this young mother. Well, I guess I shouldn't say young. At the age of twenty-five she is six years older than me.

Ben and I arrive at the posh Monument Crown Hotel where the Queen was staying. We were brought to her quarters and introduced to her and her decoy. Her body double is a young woman named Ema Aiti and the resemblance was absoultely eerie. I thought they could be identical twins…and later I discovered I was right…Ema was the Queen's identical twin sister.

Queen Indupar was very cordial to us and I could understand why her people loved her so. She spoke very eloquently and lovingly of her subjects and her great sadness of the loss of her spouse.

The Queen was in a suite fit for a queen. There was a large sitting area, a kitchen, four bedroom chambers each with a private bathroom and a large ornate balcony with a spectacular view of the Coruscant skyline. Ben and I were told we could have two of the empty rooms. Ema would take another room and the master bedroom would go to the Queen. Ben and I would take shifts guarding her. One Jedi slept while the other stood guard within the apartment. We weren't the only guards…we were just the only ones who had direct access to the Queen. There was a roving police presence throughout the building and outside.

Ben took the first shift and I tried to get some sleep…which isn't easy in the daytime after I had gotten a full night's sleep. Finally at dinnertime Ben woke me up and he went to his room to sleep. I went into the sitting room where I found the Queen and her sister sitting at a dining table eating supper. They both smiled at me and motioned for me to sit.

"Your friend already ate, but there is a meal for you also. We would love it if you would join us," said the Queen. Although the Queen and her sister were identical in looks, I was able to identify her by her demeanor. She never turned off the royal façade, whereas the sister, when not playing the part, appeared more relaxed.

The food smelled fantastic. I sat down and dug into a wonderful bantha steak. I looked down at the food in thought. "Is this take out from the Manarai Restaurant?"

The Queen lowered her fork and looked at me impressed. "I am surprised that a warrior has a palate sophisticated enough to distinguish fine cuisine from one restaurant to another."

I laughed. "My mother probably cooked this meal. It's her recipe." I gave Ema and the Queen a look of pride. "She's the head chef at the Manarai."

The Queen's eyebrows went up. "That is an impressive accomplishment."

I just nodded in agreement. I rarely tell anybody that my parents also own the restaurant. It was too much like name-dropping.

I sat quietly and ate. It's not that dealing with Royalty intimidated me, but I definitely didn't want to say or do the wrong thing. The Queen finally dabbed her mouth with a silk napkin and excused herself from the table. "I think I will retire to my room. I have some documents to read." She looked to her sister and then to me. "You two enjoy yourselves."

I stood when she rose from her seat. "Good evening, Your Highness."

After the Queen retired to her room I sat back down and started back to my meal. Eventually I noticed Ema eyeing me. I looked up to her questioningly. "Is there a problem?"

She shook her head. "No, I just can't get over how much you look like my sister's late husband."

My brow furrowed in thought. "Really? I thought he looked more like Prince Isolder."

She gave me a light chuckle. "You mean the very, tall, handsome, blond haired, blue eyed Prince of Hapes who you look very much like?"

I shrugged. I guess I look a little like him, but I think I am much better looking. "I suppose..." I hesitated not knowing what would be the proper title to call the sister of the Queen. "I know you introduced yourself as Ema, but is there a title that goes along with that? I don't wish to cause a political gaffe by addressing you incorrectly. "

She smiled. "My sister was Queen Consort to the King, therefore her siblings are without royal titles. Her son or daughter when born will be the Prince or Princess until they reach the age of twelve. At that time they could claim the ruling title, but most children usually wait until they have reached the age of majority." She paused. "So…please call me Ema."

I smiled at her. She is a gorgeous woman. "So Ema…do you have a husband or significant other?"

She shook her head. "No, when you are the decoy for the Queen it has a tendency to making dating difficult." She gave me a coy look. "What about you? With your good looks I assume you have a girlfriend."

She gave me a soft smile that would have made my knees weak if I had been standing. "No, no steady girlfriend."

She laughed softly. "I am surprised. I read so much about you on the Holonet."

I groaned. Will I ever escape my ill deserved reputation? "I swear all those stories are lies, Ema. I am _not_ the love child of Luke Skywalker. I haven't fathered multiple extramarital children. I'm not a deadbeat dad. I don't partake in bedroom dress up. I am not into domination scenarios. I have never had a furry fetish with Wookiees or Bothans. I'm not a chubby chaser…although I don't have a problem dating full-figured girls…I just don't specialize in certain body types. I don't do Tauntaun play. I'm not the masked actor in the skinholo _Hold My Lightsaber_ and I never, ever participated in an interspecies orgy with Killiks and Worrites…I mean how would that even be possible…they have exoskeletons and are taller than Wookiees." I stopped and took a deep cleansing breath. I get so irritated when I talk about this subject. "I'm sorry. I get a little aggravated when I think about what the sludge media has done to my reputation. I just want to reaffirm that whatever you read is not true."

Her eyes crinkled up with amusement. "I was referring to your brave actions in capture of the Coruscanti University rapist. I would think women would be falling all over themselves to date a Jedi hero such as yourself."

Okay, now I felt really stupid. I could feel my face flush hotly. "I am sure women would be flocking all over me if I didn't have a totally false reputation of having a carapace sexual fetish."

She laughed. "I find your humor absolutely charming."

I smiled brightly. I am really starting to like this woman. I know I don't have a snowball's chance on Mustafar of striking up a relationship with her—after all she is twenty-five and I was nineteen—but it is nice to fantasize about the possibility. "Thank you. I find you charming also."

Stang! As soon as that came out of my mouth I realized that might seem too forward, but I was relieved when she simply smiled.

"So," I said changing the subject. "Why did you and your sister decide to come to Coruscant? I am sure there were closer worlds that could offer you equal protection."

She gazed into my eyes. "Talon, have you ever heard of H'drachi Seers?"

I thought about it for a moment. I did remember our Jedi Historian, Tionne, mentioning them once. "They are from the Expansion Region," I said. "They are known to utilize the Force to see the future."

"They supposedly read what they call the _'time stream'_. The more H'drachi Seers you have reading that stream, the more accurate the prediction. There are a half dozen seers living within the palace. The King didn't take much stock in their religion. It was his mother who was a believer. She brought them to the kingdom a few years prior to her death." She paused a moment collecting her thoughts. "Within hours of the King's demise they requested an audience with the Queen. They knew she was pregnant before she even knew. They told her to ensure the life of the heir she must go to Coruscant and request protection of the Jedi Knights. Only with the help of the Jedi would the heir of her blood live to rule the house of Indupar. If the King's cousin—a horrible man called Olaf Racine—came into power the seers foresaw our world slipping into civil war. Millions would die and cause a cascade of events that could adversely affect of the fate of the Galaxy."

My jaw dropped. "Talk about pressure. If we screw up this mission the galaxy goes down the Sarlac pit."

She laughed. "I wouldn't get too stressed." She shook her head. "I don't know if the seers are to be believed or not. They could be completely wrong, but they did know about her pregnancy, so the Queen decided to take their counsel."

I squared my shoulders. "Ema, I will do everything in my power to protect the Queen and the life of her child."

Ema reached across the table and put her hand on mine. "I know you will. I have a feeling the Force will be with us."


	38. Chapter 38

_**Entry 50**_

The late King's cousin accused the Queen of lying about the pregnancy and skipping off to Coruscant to get pregnant. The accusation could get him banished from the planet, but he was so sure he was correct that he publicly denounced the Queen and demanded proof of paternity.

The Queen agreed to provide proof of pregnancy and Ben and I accompanied her to a medical clinic where two blood samples were taken and sent to a local DNA laboratory of her choice and a second sample sent to a laboratory of the cousin's choosing. Although the Queen is only a couple weeks along there is a blood test called a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Microarray paternity test that can be done within a couple weeks of conception. I know about SNP paternity tests because that is what was used for my paternity trial. This particular test is used to identify small DNA fragments from the fetus in the mother's blood stream to determine paternity.

After a couple days the tests came back and to Olaf Racine's great surprise the Queen was pregnant and the King _is_ the father. Opps! I guess he played that situation wrong. The public outcry against him was so intense that he didn't bother to be officially banished. He left of his own accord.

I thought the Queen could go home now that he was out of the picture, but she said the Seers said she should not leave yet. That's okay, I am enjoying this mission. Hanging around royalty is pretty nice.

After a few days I noticed that Ema would try to keep her schedule the same as mine. She would usually stay awake and hang around with me when I was pulling my shift. A few times she would dress up as the Queen and we would go out—usually with a contingent of private security guards—and walk through a park or go to a museum. But that was rare and most of the time we would hang out in the royal suite and talk. I think I was falling in love…and that was a problem. I don't know how professional it would be to start a relationship with Ema. I wasn't even sure if Ema wanted a relationship. I could be misreading her signals. After all, I was a teenager and she was a beautiful, sophisticated woman. Of course, I don't look like a teen. I have my father's build and height, so I look like I am in my mid-twenties.

I needed to talk to Ben about this situation. He is the Jedi Knight in charge of this mission and the last thing I want to do is screw this up for him.

One day I was able to get Ben alone to talk to him.

"Ben," I said tentatively. "I know it would be improper to get emotionally involved with somebody we are guarding…but we are simply guarding the Queen, right?"

Ben grinned at me. "Are you getting a little infatuated with Ema?"

I blushed. "She is beautiful and I think she is interested in me."

Ben laughed out loud. "You wish. She's an older, sexy, attractive woman…why would she be interested in a teenage Jedi Apprentice?" His smile got broader. "Especially when she could have a full Jedi Knight—a man in his twenties, with striking red hair and highly erotic freckles." Ben then started laughing letting me know he wasn't serious.

I punched Ben in the arm. "Knock it off or I'll tell Niki you were checking out Ema."

Ben chuckled. "Don't do that. You'd break Niki's heart." He shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and looked down at the floor in thought. "I don't see anything wrong with you seeing Ema as long as it doesn't interfere with guarding the Queen." He then grinned. "But I think you're dreaming."

He's probably right, but you never know until you try.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Entry 51**_

Ha! Dreams can come true. Within days Ema and I kissed and she initiated it! I was absolutely shocked. My heart is still beating rapidly. I'm falling hard for this woman. I'm so excited; I really need to record what happened.

Last night, the Queen had retired to her room and Ben was sleeping. It was just Ema and I on the couch in the sitting room. She was telling me all the things she would do if she had Jedi powers…which makes me glad she doesn't have Jedi powers because if she did the King's cousin Racine would be missing his royal jewels… and I don't mean diamonds. Ha! I told her the Jedi are trained not to use our powers frivolously or out of anger or revenge.

She looked at me skeptically. "You mean you never used your powers for something other than Jedi business? I don't believe you."

Stang, she's got me there. "Okay, I have used it to give the occasional wedgie."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What's a wedgie?"

"You know when you grab the back of a person's underwear and pull it up forcefully."

"Oh, we call that a shimmie." She laughed. "I hope you didn't do that to Ben. He is such a sweet man."

I experienced a slight twinge of jealousy at that remark, but quickly brushed it off. Ben is a nice guy. "No, not to Ben. I usually do it to my brother."

"Oh, you're bad. I'm glad my sister doesn't have the Force. She's annoying enough as Queen of the Crown Worlds." She laughed and then followed up by, "I'm kidding of course. I love my sister." She crossed her arms across her chest and smirked. "You said earlier that all the rumors about you are false, but be honest with me…have you ever used the Force to influence a woman?"

I blushed and dropped my gaze. "I have, but not in the way you think."

She chuckled. "How so?"

I sighed. "My friends and I were at a sports bar watching the smashball tournament and my brother's date was rambling on and on about something and so I gave her a little suggestion for her to please be quiet and enjoy the game."

Ema's eyes went wide. "You can do that? Make a suggestion and people obey?"

I looked away embarrassed. "Only if they are weak minded or not expecting it. I shouldn't have done it. It's wrong and I immediately felt bad about using the Force in that manner."

She smiled at me warmly. "You are a good man Talon Tantiss. Most people wouldn't have given it a second thought." She then laid her hand on my knee and leaned in a little closer. I looked down at her hand and my breath arrested in my lungs. My mouth went dry and my heart started beating wildly. I was sure she was going to kiss me! I am no virgin, but I am not overly experienced and I never had a mature woman this beautiful making advances on me. She looked deeply into my eyes and said, "Kiss me."

Oh Gods! I was so shocked that I was sure Ben could pick up on my panic through the Force. I was worried he'd come busting out of his sleeping chamber with lightsaber ready…but thankfully he remained in his room. Either he didn't sense my emotions or he knew what was going on. "Okay," I said, my voice was cracking in shocked disbelief as I leaned in and kissed her. It was a soft kiss that lasted only a few seconds before I pulled away nervously. I gazed at her expectantly looking for some approval of my kissing skills.

She smiled widely. "It does work."

I looked at her confused. "What?"

"I made a suggestion and you obeyed. I must be a Force-user."

I chuckled. "Or an exceptionally beautiful woman. I am sure you could persuade any man to do your bidding."

"That must be it, because from what I've seen you are definitely not weak-minded," she said coyly as he lips twitched in amusement.

I gave her a sheepish grin. "My Master and brother would probably disagree with you on that point."

"Well, lets investigate further. Kiss me again," she said in a teasing voice and she might as well have been a Jedi Master because I obeyed eagerly.

After a few seconds I pulled away from the kiss and gave her a nervous smile. "I might not be weak-minded," I said with a chuckle. "But I definitely have a soft spot in my head for you." I gave an anxious cough and fidgeted nervously. "Unfortunately, I am on duty. I really shouldn't allow myself to be distracted."

"I understand," she said softly. "Perhaps you can tell me more about your family."

I smiled somewhat relieved. I didn't need an assassin creeping into the apartment while I was kissing the queen's sister. And if Ben caught me I would have hell to pay. He is my cousin and best friend, but he is a Jedi Knight with a strong sense of duty. He would never tolerate me letting down my guard.

"Sure," I said and then started rambling on about my brother and cousins and our past adventures. All the time my mind was shouting out, _'We kissed! We kissed!' _I'm surprised every Force-user on the planet didn't hear my mental celebration.


	40. Chapter 40

_**Entry 52**_

Crap! Ben did hear my internal revelry. He came out of his room later that night after Ema went to bed. He was wearing a classic Han Solo lopsided grin and whispered to me in an overtly mocking tone. "_We kissed! We kissed!_" He then puckered up his lips and made kissy sounds.

I glowered at him. "Knock it off. It was just a kiss and we stopped because I was on duty."

Ben smirked at me. "I know. If you disappeared off into a bedroom when on watch we'd be having an entirely different conversation right now."

I nodded, somewhat embarrassed. I now felt like the young apprentice that I am, whereas Ben is every bit the Jedi Knight…just like his father.

I think he could sense my embarrassment. "it's okay, Talon," Ben said as he walked over to the kitchen to get some juice to drink. "Just keep it on your off-duty hours."

"I will." I said and then gave him a wicked grin. "I told you she was interested."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, once again the Skywalker good looks have helped you get the girl."

I frowned. "You mean my Tantiss good looks." I gave him a wink. "Maybe you can use _your _Skywalker looks to get the Queen to fall for you."

Ben shook his head. "That's not going to happen and not just because of my duty toward her or because she's a grieving widow," Ben said before he smirked and then made a show of shuddering. "No, the thought that we might end up dating sisters is unnerving. The next thing you know they are planning a big royal double wedding and I am stuck living next door to _you_ for the rest of my life."

I scowled melodramatically. "Hey, what's wrong with me?"

"Other than you are always in trouble? And you usually drag everybody else along with you." He shook his head then smiled. "Never mind, just keep frosty while on duty. This is my first mission as a Knight with an apprentice working for me. It won't look good if I let you get into more difficulties than usual."

"I promise to remain professional while on duty!" I put my hand over my heart to show my sincerity.

Ben gave me a nod. "Good." He then flopped down on the couch and started flipping through the holonet channels. "I'm awake, so go ahead and get some sleep."

"Sure." I got up and went to my room. I was so excited I wasn't sure if I could sleep, but I could meditate. I definitely needed time to process what had happened today.

.

.

.

_**Entry 53**_

For the next week I only fraternized with Ema during my off hours and even then we mainly talked. Okay, there was an occasional kiss, but not much more than that. We were taking our time and getting to know each other.

I discovered that our age difference didn't matter that much. We had the same tastes in music and holoshows. We both like watching situational comedies and political thrillers on the holonet. And, last night, to my great surprise I discovered she likes to watch shockball.

We were sitting in my room while off duty and flipping through channels looking for something good to watch when a commercial for a shockball tournament came on. "I really want to see that game," I said offhand not expecting a positive response. Most women I know see the sport as barbaric.

"So do I."

I looked at her in disbelief. "Do you really like the sport or are you just saying that to impress me?"

"Why would I want to impress you?"

I cocked an eyebrow as I continued to flip through the channels . "You know, to sweep me off my feet so you can seduce me."

She just laughed. "Dream on Jedi-boy. But to answer your question I am an avid Shock-ball fan. I mean, what's there not to like? You have very tall, muscular, athletic men wearing very tight pants tossing an electrically charged shockball at each other using either insulating mitts or ball scoops while at the same time trying to prevent being hit and knocked unconscious. I love seeing them get hit, dropping to the ground with muscles twitching before blacking out." She shook her arms and hands for emphasis and then laughed.

A broad smile crossed my face. "Did you see the _Kuat Pirates_ vs the _Shad Furies_ in the finals? It was awesome."

"I bet you liked what happened to Chad Miezer in the second quarter?" She said with mischief in her eyes.

"You mean when he got hit in the groin with the shockball, then fell face first on the ground trapping the ball between his groin and the playing field?"

She was laughing so hard now with tears running down her cheeks. "He was such a jerk to his teammates and the other team players all year long that nobody went to help him. So he just twitched on the field until the referee pulled him off the shockball."

"That's it!" I couldn't believe I found a woman who saw the humor in that as much as I did. "My brother Jaden recorded the game and then made a holo-short with the video of Miezer twitching and then set it to music."

"That was your brother?" She said all excited. "I saw that holo! You have over a trillion hits galactic wide. That's hilarious."

I was still flipping through the channels when she called out. "Stop." I moved back a channel to see a holodrama starting. "This is a fantastic movie about the Jedi. Will you watch it with me and tell me how accurate it is?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

So we started watching a film called _Elusive Bliss_. When she said it was about Jedi I thought we were going to watch an action film, but it was a love story. I guess the title should have clued me in…it's not really an action, blood and guts type of title.

Anyway, although love stories are not exactly my type of film, Ema loved it. It was about a male Jedi in the Old Republic who was in love with a female Jedi in the order. Their love for each other was intense, but they both knew it was also doomed. The Jedi Order in the old days didn't allow marriage. As the movie went on the two love-struck Jedi were faced with the option of running away and marrying or staying with the Jedi and either breaking up or cooling down their relationship back to friends. They decided to run away, but before they could do so, the male Jedi went on a mission and didn't survive.

Ema was all teary eyed at the sad ending. "I'm glad that's not the rules for your order."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I don't think I would be a Jedi otherwise."

She gazed at me thoughtfully. "You would give up being a Jedi for love?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, also the idea of being a sexless Jedi monk isn't very appealing to me, besides I probably would have never been associated with the Jedi if that was the rule. There is no way in the galaxy that my father would have left my mother to become a Jedi. According to him he had turned down Master Skywalker the first time asked and the second time he said he would only do it if he could remain on Coruscant with my mother. That is one of the reasons the Temple was reestablished here. My father would have given up everything to be with my mom."

"That is _so_ romantic," she practically gushed. "You're mother is a very lucky woman."

I smiled. "I think it goes both ways. My dad is equally lucky to find her. They love each other very much and to my great dismay _and_ disgust they are very, and I mean _very,_ openly affectionate." I had to laugh. "I guess that isn't a bad thing, but it's still unsettling to walk in on your parent necking on the couch."

"They are very lucky to have each other," Ema said.

I looked down at the ground and gave a sappy smile. "I hope one day to be as lucky."

She shifted closer to me. "I'm sure you will be," she said softly, intimately. She then leaned in and kissed me.

I reached up as my thumb gently stroked her cheekbones while drawing her closer. We have kissed before, but this was different. I could feel in the Force that she wanted more and that panicked me. She was an older woman and I felt so ill prepared for this encounter. It's different when you are a hormonally addled teenager fumbling through the sexual act with an equally inexperienced teenage girl…usually in the cramped backseat of her parent's airspeeder. It's an entirely different thing to expect to perform to standard with a gorgeous older woman who could have any man she wanted.

I was hesitant to take the next step, but when she nibbled on my earlobe my desire for her went into overdrive. My brain might not know what to do, but my body obviously did.

I am too much of a gentleman to discuss what happened next…but it was FANTASTIC!

I am totally in love.


	41. Chapter 41

_**Entry 54**_

The most incredible night in my life was followed by the most embarrassing morning in my memory…and that's saying a lot. First off, in the heat of the moment, my passion-muddled brain forgot to set my alarm clock. I was supposed to meet Ben at 0500 hours and at 0510 Ben walked into my bedroom to wake me up.

"Fierfek!" I heard Ben curse in shocked surprise. I opened my eyes still groggy from lack of sleep. I hastily sat up and saw Ben standing at my door with his hand covering his eyes. "For Force-sake Talon, get up and cover up!"

I looked down and realize I was completely nude with parts of me partially awake. I looked over to my sleeping companion and sighed with relief when I realize she was still sleeping _under_ the sheets.

"Kriff!" I swore as I jumped out of bed and quickly pulled on my boxer-briefs and then desperately started looking for my discarded clothing on the floor. In my hurry to dress, I was pulling on my trousers, lost balance and tumbled to the floor with a loud thud, waking Ema.

"Talon?" she mumbled. She started to rise, but upon seeing a Ben at the doorway—his eyes glued to the ground and blushing until he was as red as his Twil'ek girlfriend—Ema pulled the sheets up under her chin protectively. "Hello Ben," she said in a way that it sounded almost like a question. Ema looked over to me and I knew I looked like an idiot as I laid on my back and struggled to pull my trousers over my thighs. She turned back to Ben, gazing at him sheepishly. "This isn't what…"

I don't know what she was going to say, because apparently she realized there was no way to make this seem like it was _anything_ but what it really was. I mean what was she going to say? '_The broken thermostat controls made the room too cold and we had to use our body heat to keep warm'? _I probably would have chuckled at the thought if I weren't too busy looking for my socks and tunic.

"I'm just going to stay here under the sheets until you two leave," Ema finally said sounding deeply embarrassed.

"Good idea," I said. "I'll talk to you later, Ema." I wanted to add some sugary nickname, but thought better of it. Ben didn't look too happy. I grabbed my shoes and ran outside closing the door behind me. "Sorry I'm late."

Ben turned to me his eyes bloodshot and with a glare that rivaled his mother's. "Talon, you have to _**learn to shield**_!" He was whispering but the words came out almost like a hiss.

"Ohh…was I projecting?"

Ben's eyes went wide. "Projecting!" He gave a sarcastic laugh. "I bet the Jedi in the Temple could feel the disturbance in the Force…three major disturbances in the Force in one night!"

My cheeks burned with humiliation and I turned away embarrassed. "Sorry Ben."

"Stang!" Ben continued heatedly, "I was sitting in the main sitting room having a nice conversation with the Queen when I was hit by emotions so intense it actually startled me. Then I found myself tormented with what looked like skinholo images floating in my head, starring the Queen's very hot and sexy _identical twin_ sister. Blast! I had to find a way to excuse myself from the room. The Queen almost called in the emergency medical team because I suddenly stood, turned bright red, began sweating and then had difficulty walking!" Ben ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Damn I hope she thought that was a lightsaber in my pocket."

I tried to choke down a laugh by biting my lower lip! The thought of Ben getting all hot and bothered in front of the Queen was somewhat comical.

"Don't you dare laugh," he said while trying to suppress his own laughter. "I'm just glad the visions were through _your_ eyes and _your_ eyes never left her. Otherwise that would be…" Ben shuddered while giving a look of disgust.

"I guess it was good we didn't have mirrors on the ceiling," I joked and was immediately rewarded with a punch to my shoulder.

"Knock it off. This is a big mission for me. I don't want to look like a fool in front of the Queen!" Ben took a couple deep breaths to calm down and then he chuckled. "Talon why does trouble follow you?"

I gave him my best apologetic look. "I don't know…Skywalker genes maybe?"

"Probably." He sighed and then gave me a determined look. "This is _not_ going to happen again. You _are_ going to _relearn _how to shield if it takes me all day to teach you. You've grown lax because you lived so long in your parent's ysalamiri infested apartment."

I smiled slightly knowing I was forgiven…otherwise he would have sent me home or forbad me from seeing Ema romantically during the mission. "Thanks, Ben."

So, that's what we trained on until Ben was too tired to stay up any longer. Gods I hope I learned that lesson.

Ema was so embarrassed she stayed in her room most of the day and avoided Ben. I can't say that I blame her. It's not fun being caught with your pants down, literally…not fun at all.


	42. Chapter 42

_**Entry 55**_

After I finished my security shift I knocked on Ema's door. She had been hiding away most of the day. In the morning, her sister had gone into her room to talk to her, but I decided to give her some space. I could still feel the embarrassment flowing from her through the Force.

Finally, at the end of the day, I gathered up my courage to talk to my mortified lover. I rapped my knuckles on the door and waited for a response. Ema eventually opened up and ushered me in. She was wearing what looked like a sleeping outfit under a bathrobe and I had the impression that she might have spent the entire day lying around embarrassed in bed.

She turned to me and I could see the tension etched on her face. "Did you get in trouble with Ben? Or with the Jedi?"

I smiled lovingly. I expected her to be angry at the embarrassing predicament I put her in, but instead she was worried about me and my standing with the Jedi. I shook my head. "Not really. Did your sister say anything to you this morning about it?"

She shrugged. "Not about us. She said Ben looked ill last night. He had turned all red faced and looked flustered." She sat down on the corner of her bed and looked up at me. "Is he alright?"

I avert my eyes as I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Yeah, he's fine."

When I looked back, I noticed a narrowing of her eyes as she scrutinized me. I swear it is the same look my mother gives me when she knows I am lying about something. "What are you hiding?"

I groan in frustration as I walked over and sat next to her. "Ema, you really don't want to know," I warned her.

"Yes, I do want to know." She glared at me. "Tell me."

I gave a defeated sigh. "Force users can sometimes pick up each other's thoughts and images…and…well, when Ben was talking to your sister... when we started our nocturnal activities…and well, he suddenly picked up my thoughts, what I was seeing and my emotions."

"What!" Her eyes went wide and her voice cracked with emotion. "Ben could see what we are doing?" She brought her hands over her face and fell back onto the bed. "Talon, just kill me. I will never be able to look Ben in the eye again."

I gave a soft chuckle. "I don't think Ben will be looking you in the eye for some time either. He is just as embarrassed."

I lay down next to her. "Don't worry, Ben taught me to shield my thoughts. We shouldn't have a problem anymore."

"Oh great. That's comforting. It's too bad he didn't pass on that skill before I gave him the peepshow of a lifetime." Her brow furrowed in thought before she chuckled sarcastically. "I guess that explains Ben's discomfort last night."

I laughed with her. "He told me that he was talking to your sister and suddenly he could picture her naked."

Ema blushed and closed her eyes. "Oh no. The poor man." She turned in the bed to face me. "What do we do now?"

I grinned as I reached out and brushed her silky blond hair away from her face. "I'm off duty until tomorrow morning. Do you want to test my new and improved shielding abilities?"

Her blue eyes glided down my body and gave me a smirk. "You want me to help you in practicing your Jedi skills?"

"You can call it that." I drew her into my arms and kissed her gently. She giggled under my lips and I pulled away and gazed at her confused. "What?"

"You better have perfected this skill; I don't want to torment poor Ben anymore than he was last night."

I gave her a crooked grin. "There is only one way to find out." I then drew her close and kissed her.

.

.

.

_**Entry 56 **_

I guess I perfected the shielding technique, because Ben didn't give me any more grief…although I am fairly certain that when all said and done he is going to tell all our friends at the temple what happened. After all, we're guys and it's too funny not to tell…even if it's at my expense. I know I couldn't keep it a secret if the situation was reversed.

The next few weeks were the best in my life. Ema and I got along so well. I have never felt so close to anybody before. Unfortunately, one day my Talon Tantiss stupidity flared up again. I guess it was just my immaturity shining through.

Ema and I were sitting on the couch in the sitting area when she had asked me if Talon was a family name.

"No," I said. "I'm named after my father's friend Talon Karrde. He is a smuggler turned trader. My father and Talon fought together against the Emperor Reborn on Byss. But, my middle name is Marcus, which is a variation of my father's name. Why do you ask?"

She shook her head. "No reason. Usually when you hear atypical names they are family names passed down from father to son. I was just curious."

I gave her a bright grin as my hand slipped around her waist. "You're thinking about baby names? Do you want to make a little Talon Junior?"

Now, in my defense I was just joking, but I could feel shock radiate off of Ema through the Force. I tensed. "Ema, I was just teasing. I didn't mean it. I mean, I would like kids one day…in the future…in the far future…not now. I wasn't hinting about anything like that…I know we've just started dating."

Stang I was babbling.

She appeared to recover and smiled at me. "Don't worry Talon. The comment simply caught me off guard." She chuckled. "I think I panicked because I thought you were about to propose." She looked at me embarrassed. "I'm not saying that would be an awful thing…I just mean…not now."

I laughed because she was babbling just like I was. "Hey," I said as I leaned in and kissed her. "I know what you mean."

Things went back to normal by the next day, our comments forgotten. I have to learn not to rush things. I guess because the situation was moving along so quickly I thought I could joke about things like that, but looking back I realized it was stupid. I probably gave her the impression that I am some clingy, love-starved teen.

I guess that is a lessoned learned. Don't be a teenage idiot!


	43. Chapter 43

**Entry 57**

After five weeks on Coruscant the Queen announced the situation on Indupar had stabilized enough for her and Ema to return. I am heartbroken about saying goodbye. Ben and I accompanied Queen Kaie and Ema to the docking bay where the Queen's ship was berthed. Ema and I stood outside the ship holding each other in our arms. She was crying and I was choked up also.

She buried her head against my chest while sobbing. "I'm going to miss you Talon."

"I'm going to miss you too. I know we are early in our relationship, but," I paused for a moment knowing I was going way too fast, but I didn't want her to leave without hearing the words from me. "I think I love you." I took a shuddering breath. "No, I know I love you."

"I love you too, Talon."

My heart swelled with joy at the words. I grabbed hold of her shoulders and gazed at her earnestly, pleadingly. "Let me come back with you. I can finish my Jedi training or go to college anytime. I don't want to leave you."

She reached up and cupped my face with her hands. "Talon, I can't let you throw away everything you have worked toward since you were a boy. If I encourage you to do so your family would hate me…and I couldn't live with myself."

I shook my head adamantly. "My parents will understand, especially my father. To him love and family are the most important things in the world." My mind was racing as I tried to figure out a way to get aboard that ship. "I could work as security. Having a Force-user would be helpful."

"Yes, it would, but not now." She stood on her toes and kissed me on the lips. "Please Talon, don't make any major decisions at this point in your life. We can still arrange to see each other and talk on the HoloNet. After my sister has her baby and things settle down I can take a leave of absence and come to Coruscant. But I don't want to leave her so soon after the death of her husband and while she's pregnant with his son." Tears fell from her eyes and I could feel her anguish. "I also don't want you to throw away all your plans. Finish your training, please."

I dropped my head dejectedly. I knew I wasn't going to change her mind. "You'll keep in touch?"

"Yes, I promise. I'll contact you once I get to Indupar." She gave me a sad smile and then kissed me goodbye.

With a shuddering sigh I watched her walk up the boarding ramp of her sister's royal star yacht and within minutes they were gone.

A hollow, left-behind feeling crept through my body and despite living on the most populated planet in the galaxy, I felt totally and utterly alone.

I looked up and saw Ben watching me from the other side of the dock. He started walking over probably to give me words of encouragement but I waved him off. I was crying and feeling miserable and in this case misery didn't want any company. Ben nodded and walked away leaving me to my grief and memories.

I reached up with a hand and touched my lips as I remember Ema's kiss. I will always remember that kiss. It was so tender and sweet.

Unfortunately… it was our last.

**Entry 58**

Ema kept her word. After she arrived to Indupar she did contact me…unfortunately it was to break up. She didn't even bother sending me a holomessage. It was written text. I got a TEXT MESSAGE!

It was a typical 'Dear Soldier' letter…you know, the type troopers get from their secondary-school girlfriends when they are halfway through Basic Training.

_**Dear Talon,**_

_**I know I should talk to you personally or by holonet, but I don't have the courage. I am a coward when it comes to affairs of the heart. **_

_**I had the most wonderful time on Coruscant and you are an exceptional man. Under different circumstances I think we could have had a future together, but I am living on a planet halfway across the galaxy and you are on Coruscant. You have your entire life in front of you. You talked about attending University and acquiring your Jedi Knighthood. I would only hold you back.**_

_**I was telling you the truth when I said I loved you.**_

_**Please forgive me, but I need to end this relationship before both of us are hurt beyond repair.**_

_**May the Force be with you.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Ema**_

I felt my heart breaking. I often heard the term, '_he died of a broken heart'_ and thought that was a stupid saying. How can somebody die from heartbreak? Now I know it's true. I felt like something died within me—something died within me and then a horrible evil reached into my body and pulled the decaying carcass out through my heart. Kriff!

After reading the message, I remember throwing the datapad across the room. Luckily my brother was in our quarters and used the Force to keep it from shattering against the wall. I must have caused a major disturbance in the Force because the next thing I know my father is at our door.

I explained to him what had happened and he pulled me into a hug and tried to comfort me, but nothing he could say or do would take the sting out of the loss of love. My father means well, but he never had his heart broken. He often said my mother was his first, last and only. He never dated anybody else. He is one lucky man. Why can't I meet the right woman?

I tried contacting Ema, but contacting somebody living in a royal house is impossible if they don't want to talk to you. After trying for two weeks, I gave up.

My thoughts about her had become obsessive and the Grand Master had me go see the Jedi therapeutic trauma healer, or as I call her, '_The Head Shrink'_. Jedi Healer Rogek is supposedly an expert on human and near human psychology, but I found her clueless. Yes, I was depressed and heartbroken, but I don't need therapy. It isn't like I was depressed and heartbroken for no good reason. I had a reason. I loved and I lost. It is going to take me time to heal. That's what I told the counselor before I stormed out of her office.

I am pissed. I know that the Grand Master wants to make sure I don't go all darkside over this break up, but I'm not crazy. I'm hurt, I'm sad and depressed and there is nothing wrong with that.

What is worse is I have no idea why this happened? Why? What the kriff did I do? The only thing I can think of is the baby comment. I must have scared her off…but she said she understood. I wish she would at least talk to me so I can get some closure.

Kriff! Kriff! Kriff! Kriff! This is so kriffed up!

I know it was a short fling, but it was my most intense relationship. The break up was emotionally and physically painful. I _never_ want to feel like this again. I am _never_ going to fall in love again. _Never!_

_**Nothing is worth this much pain!**_


	44. Chapter 44

_**Entry 59**_

I don't want to do anything or go anywhere. My parents are getting worried about me. My Dad recommended that I attend some military training to get my mind off things. He had put me in for Jump Trooper School, but I'm on a waiting list. The Jedi Academy usually gets only two slots for the school per year and there were five Jedi on the list ahead of me. My dad said he would get me in another way so I am not bumping any of the Jedi already on the list. He said there are sometimes slots held for _'legacies'_.

I asked him what he meant by that and he told me a _legacy_ is a child of a current or honorably discharged Jump Trooper. There are military families who consist of third or fourth generation of Jump Troopers and that can be done because of these slots held for_ legacy _children. He said he would get some of his Jump Trooper buddies to see if a _legacy_ slot was available and, if so, expedite my application. I needed something to get my mind off of Ema, so I told my dad to go ahead and make the arrangements.

_**Entry 60**_

I have been lousy at keeping my journal. I know it has been weeks since my last entry. I am still a little heartbroken. I hope dad is right that going to Jump School will help get her off my mind. But I doubt it. He got me a slot and I will be flying off to the planet Null soon. Meanwhile Ben and Jaden have been trying to cheer me up. We go out to the clubs but I mostly pout in a corner while nursing a drink all night. Nalli'ti, the cute Zeltron I met months ago, often comes by to see me and tries to perk me up…in more ways than one. I think she is using her pheromones and abilities to project soothing emotions to ease my pain. I have to admit when I am around her I sometimes feel almost normal…almost. I told her I just got my heart crushed, so I am not interested in a relationship.

She said, "Neither am I. Let's just have fun together."

Maybe that is what I need to do from now on…don't get romantically involved. I can tell the women that upfront. I just want some fun together, but no romantic entanglements. Of course when I tell myself that I feel like a royal sleemo womanizer…but I can't go through another heartbreak like I just did. I don't think I would survive. It's better to never love again than have so much kriff'n emotional misery.

_**Entry 61**_

I'm off to Jump School. Mom cried when I left. Dad was smiling broadly and looking proud. Jaden was smirking and told me he would watch over Nalli'ti while I was gone. I punched him.

After I am done with the training I'm expected to work as a military/Jedi asset upon request for a period of five years. It is not continuous service. My dad said he usually spent five or six weeks per year working with the Troopers.

I only hope dad is correct about Jump Trooper training taking my mind off my woes.

_**Entry 62**_

Stang! Dad is right. Having half dozen drill instructors in your face and screaming at you does take your mind off a myriad of things. My torture started almost immediately. I arrived at the school and was standing in formation as the Platoon Sergeant called out our last names. We would respond with 'here' when we heard our surname. My introduction to Jump Trooper School went something like this:

"Tantiss!"

"Here, Sergeant!" I popped off.

The sergeant paused. "Tantiss, get over here, front and center."

I didn't know why I was singled out, but I exit the formation and jogged up to the Sergeant. Unfortunately, I didn't have the clone trooper military flash training that my father had when he went to jump school. Therefore, I was never taught that the proper way to exit a formation is to take a step back with the left foot, look to the left and right, and then exit by the shortest route. I instead left the formation by stepping forward and out.

That got an immediate response from the Sergeant. "Tantiss! Don't they teach you drill and ceremony where you come from?!" The Sergeant was about ten centimeters from me and I could feel wayward spittle splash my face.

"No sir."

"Sir!" he screamed hysterically like a deranged mental patient. "I work for a living Tantiss! I am a non-commissioned officer. You will address me as Sergeant!"

I was caught off guard by the confrontation. I wasn't sure what to say now, so I simply said, "Sorry Sergeant." Which I immediately found out was the wrong answer.

"Sorry! You _are_ a sorry piece of bantha dung! That is not one of your approved and proper responses. The only thing I want to hear from you is 'Yes Sergeant, No Sergeant, No excuse Sergeant and Sergeant, I do not understand!'"

"Yes Sergeant!"

By now a couple other Drill instructors wandered over to where I was standing at attention.

"What do we have here?" a short muscular sergeant said as he came up to my drill instructor.

The irate man turned to the newcomer. "I have a Jedi Spook called Talon Tantiss that doesn't know how to exit a formation or how to properly address his drill instructor!"

"Tantiss!" The newly arrived sergeant eyeballed me walking around me and scowling. "Are you any relation to Mark Tantiss?"

I almost let out a sigh of relief. I hoped they knew my dad and would give me a break. "Yes Sergeant, he's my father."

"I can't believe a pathetic piece of skidcrud like you could be related to him." He came around and stared me in the eye. "I served with the man. He is a decorated Jump Trooper. We are going to do right by your father and send you back to him as a qualified Jump Trooper and by the looks of you it is going to be a long and painful process. Do you understand?"

I swallowed hard. "Yes Sergeant."

He took a step back allowing my senior drill instructor to get back in my face. "Tantiss unless you find yourself in a life or death situation I expect you to _not_ use the Force. If I catch you not sweating or breathing hard…I'll know you're cheating and I will kick your sorry ass out of this school. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sergeant!" I reply loudly.

"Get back in formation!"

I turned and moved to join my platoon, but unfortunately I also didn't know that the proper way to leave my position of front-and-center is to do an about-face pivoting motion instead of just turning around like a normal person. That caused another barrage of screaming.

And that is pretty much how my first day went. Fun, fun, fun…and I mean that sarcastically.


	45. Chapter 45

_**Entry 63**_

My life is pure misery. It appears that all the instructors know my father and none want to be accused of showing favoritism so they all decided to be extra hard on me, which meant a lot of push-ups. Luckily, I was a gym regular at the Temple and lifted a ton of weights with Ben and my brother. I am lucky that I worked out so often because the instructors appear determined to break me. I don't think I will have much time to write in my journal. I rarely have free time. When everybody else is given a break in training I am in the latrine cleaning the toilets with a toothbrush. I sometimes wonder if Dad asked the instructors to keep me so busy that I couldn't think about Ema even if I wanted to. If so, it's working.

_**Entry 64**_

I feel like death warmed over. Today is the twentieth anniversary of my birth. _Happy kriff'n Naming Day_. My mother did send me a huge care package full of food and treats. For an hour after I opened the box I became the most popular Jedi-spook on the planet. I wish I had gone to Jump School incognito like my father. Enlisted soldiers are not very fond of Jedi. They like us just as much as the like officers—which isn't much. We're seen as '_get-overs'_…meaning the enlisted guys do all the work while the officers sit back and give orders and I supposedly relax and let the Force do all the work for me. I try to tell them I haven't used the Force, but they don't believe me. You would think my sweat soaked uniforms and blisters would be proof enough that I am telling the truth, but that's not the case. The good news is I am getting close to graduation. I was told my parents were going to attend. It will be nice to see them again. I'm exhausted.

_**Entry 65**_

Finally I have time to write! I am on my Master's ship, _Jade Shadow_. I graduated from Jump Trooper School…and with honors surprisingly. After being told I was lower than pond scum for four months it is hard to believe that I would be honored in that way.

My father was EXTREMELY proud. At the graduation ceremony he gave me a big hug and then to my horror the drill instructors came up to me to shake my hand like we were buddies and they didn't actually torture me for the last four months.

"You did a great job," said my senior instructor as he stuck out his hand for me to shake. I reluctantly shook his hand. Maybe a year from now I won't have a desire to Force choke this sadistic jerk, but right now I really dislike the man. I was surprised when my father greeted my tormentor with a shake of the hand and slap on the back.

"I hope you got him sweating," my father said with a grin.

"You better believe it," my instructor replied.

I glared at my father. I am now positive he asked these instructors to be extra tough on me. For the next half hour my father moved along the cadre shaking hands and reminiscing. It appears that my dad is friends with almost all the cadre at the school. Jump Troopers are a small elite group within the Galactic Alliance military so it is not unusual that most of the men know each other.

My mother then embarrassed me greatly by hugging and kissing me and crying about how much she missed me. She was also horrified at how much weight I lost. She said she would make sure I had a good meal when I got home.

My brother came up to me and said, "Better you than me." Jaden is a pretty good Jedi fighter, but he prefers the healing arts. He often told me he has no desire to be cold, wet and miserable when he could work in a sterile clinic.

My Aunt Mara and Uncle Luke were also there. Everybody was congratulating me. I felt pretty good about my accomplishment. I can really understand why my father likes working with the Jump Troopers. I have to admit that doing drops are awesome. I love the armored jump suit. I look forward to going out on missions with my Jump Trooper brothers.

Maybe things are going to go better for me from now on.


	46. Chapter 46

_**Entry 66**_

I arrive home to my apartment that I share with my brother and get the surprise of my life. My brother acquired a service droid to clean our living area while I was gone. I guess he realized that he's a slob and I am the one that cleans up the apartment most of the time.

Like my father, I don't like droids. My dad never had a droid that could talk. He always unattached the vocalization mechanism for any droid he worked with unless it was absolutely imperative that speech was needed. Dad had once bought a cleaning droid for my mom and it wasn't more than ten minutes before the droid's chatter got my father's nerves and he took his tool kit to the little machine. I still remember the droids plaintive cries. _'Master Tantiss, what are you doing? Why are you touching me there? Oh my!'_ Then silence. I almost felt bad for the droid. After that the little droid would go about cleaning my parents' apartment in a sulking manner.

Getting back to my story…I walk into the apartment and I am greeted by this silver droid. The torso is humanoid with proportions similar to See Threepio, but its manner of propulsion is one wheel with the droid staying upright by way of a gyro.

"Good evening, I am 3-B-99 Service droid at your service. You must be Master Talon. I am very pleased to meet you." The silvery droid said in the most irritating voice. It is worse than Threepio's clip Coruscanti accent. This one has a strange high-pitched twang to its speech. It followed me around the apartment waiting for me to make a mess. It picked up my coat I tossed on the couch and hung it in the closet. When I walked into my room it followed. My brother's pitten, Fuzzy, was on my bed and got all puffy-tailed when the droid came in. Fuzzy made a part growling, part hissing noise and then scampered out of the room.

"Oh dreadful creature that pitten is," the droid lamented. "It seems determined to increase my burden in life. Twice she has urinated on my recharging unit. She'll be the death of me."

I went to my closet and pulled out my mechanic repair kit and threw it on my bed. I opened it up and took out a number of droid overhaul tools. "No," I said to the droid. "I bet I'll be the death of you."

I then opened up the droid's back panel. He didn't like that very much and protested profusely until I disconnected his vocalization mechanism. 3-B-99 doesn't like me very much now, but that's okay. I told him to stay out of my way and out of my room or I will disconnect something else. And stay away from Fuzzy!

I missed the pitten while I was away at Jump School. I think she missed me too. She slept on my chest all night making a happy rumbling noise.

It's good to be home.


	47. Chapter 47

Author Note: I thought I would now write a little family time together. Some of what is said in the following entry are experiences the characters had in the fanfics _**Second to None**_ and _**The Journal of Mark Tantiss.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

* * *

_**Entry 67**_

In honor of my graduation from Jump School my mother decided to give me a surprise gift…a family camping trip to the Vlassy Nature Preserve. This is a very secluded and primitive wildlife refuge on the planet Garqi in the outer rim.

Arrgghhh! Why?

I would send my mother a message every week from Jump Trooper School complaining about being forced to bivouac all the time. I guess I should have explained to her that_ bivouac_ is the military term for _**camping**_!

I was about to try to get out of going but was startled when my father's voice popped into my head, _'Go Talon, please!'_

Every once in a while I can pick up thoughts projected from my father, but never this clearly. I looked at him and then to my mother who was practically beaming with joy at the thought of spending time with me. I smiled at my mother and told her that sounded like a wonderful time. Later my father told me that she put a lot of effort into the trip and talked about it for months while I was gone. She knew Jaden couldn't go because of his college classes, but she was really looking forward to spending time with her _'baby_' after being gone so long. So after spending four months of misery in the field, I get to look forward to another week of misery in the wilderness with my parents.

I thought it would be just my parents and me, but then my mom told me the really good news. The Skywalkers are going with us. Oh joy. What a wonder vacation that was to be (heavy sarcasm intended). I love my cousins, but all of them together at once can sometimes be annoying.

I got to be around Jak and Owen whose creepy twin talk made me feel like I was having a conversation with a two-headed Troig. Teenage daughter Hanna accompanied her brothers and was a royal teenage pain in the butt. Hanna blamed me for having to go on this camping trip and complained incessantly how she hates being away from her boyfriend. After the tenth time she complained to me I told her to knock it off or I would tell her dad she's dating a guy at the Temple. That shut her up.

Thank the Force that Ben was there. He totally made the trip bearable.

There were some funny parts of the vacation, like when a bunch of birds started flying around my Aunt Mara's head. We think they were attracted the smell of her shampoo.

Ben and I spent time making fun of his dad's ugly shorts and new haircut. That man has no taste in clothing and I often wonder if his barber is a Kowakian Monkey Lizard with a bowl and a pair of scissors.

What was fun was huddling around the campfire at night and listening to our parents talk about the good old days…you know the time before I was born. Dad was sitting on a log with mom next to him. He had an arm draped around her waist and they were looking all sappy and in love. My Aunt Mara and Uncle Luke were looking the same. My heart clinched at the sight and I wondered if I would ever find anybody special like they did. I pushed those thoughts out of my head. I didn't want to get all bummed out about my break-up with Ema again. I was somewhat relieved when Hanna asked her mom and dad to tell her again how they met my parents.

"I met your Uncle Mark while in the medical bay of a Star Destroyer after we both were evacuated from Wayland," my aunt said.

"Back then I looked almost exactly like your father," my dad pointed out. "I had blond hair and blue eyes and was only a little taller than him. We think I was taken out of the cloning tube prior to reaching my full intended height. Your mother was unconscious when evacuated from the planet; therefore she didn't know your Uncle Han found me in a stasis cylinder after the fight with C'baoth. So when your mother saw me in the ship infirmary she thought I was your dad," My father turned to Aunt Mara and gave her a big smirk. "So she started hitting on me thinking I was Luke."

"What!" Mara yelled at my dad. "I was not hitting on you!"

My father snorted. "I know, you thought you were flirting with Luke." He turned to Hanna and winked. "She had a crush on your dad even back then."

Aunt Mara scowled at my father but didn't argue that point.

"Anyway she came into my room and was talking to me saying she wanted me as a friend and perhaps something more…" My dad chuckled as Aunt Mara reached over and smacked him on the shoulder. "Ouch!" he protested. "It's true."

Ben and I chuckled while the twins laughed in unison, which is creepy. They'd probably be great a synchronized swimming.

"So what were you thinking Uncle Mark?" Owen asked.

"I was thinking, _'Who is this good looking woman flirting with me'._ That was until she said that she once wanted to assassinate me. Then I thought '_Who is this good looking crazy woman who escaped from the mental ward'_."

I laughed. I have heard parts of this story before and I've always found it amusing.

"You should have seen your mother jump when I walked into the room," Uncle Luke said to his children.

"She saw me lying in the hospital bed and Luke in the doorway," my dad continued. "She jumped about two meters away from us and said something like, _'Whawhawha whaaatt!'_"

"I didn't say that!" Aunt Mara griped.

Uncle Luke grinned. "You're right. We can't repeat in front of the children what you actually said."

They laughed and talked about their early adventures for the next few hours and I learned a lot of things I never knew before. For example, I didn't know my dad was somewhat of a prankster when it came to Aunt Mara and Uncle Luke. He would tease them a lot during the time prior to them getting married. Dad supposedly acted as a matchmaker for the two.

I got to hear about my mother's captivity on Byss and Dad rescuing her while dressed like an Imperial Sentinel. I heard versions of the story before but I guess I never realized how dangerous the situation was. My father thought there was a slim chance he would leave Byss alive. In fact all of them thought it could become a suicide mission very easily…but they went anyway. They needed to kill the Emperor Reborn and save the galaxy once again.

I guess this camping trip wasn't a bad idea after all. It was good to see my parents having family time together and I haven't see Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara so relaxed and at ease. Usually the burdens of the galaxy are on Uncle Luke's shoulders…but for a few days there was just family and togetherness.

I'll remember this trip for a long while.


	48. Chapter 48

_**Entry 68**_

I went out with Nalli'ti the other day. We've been hanging around a lot. I don't think I would call it dating in the traditional sense. We are just enjoying each other's company. She doesn't want a relationship; I don't want a relationship…so it's all good.

I like her. She has a weird sense of humor. It is not exactly dark or dry or highbrow. I guess I'll call it quirky. I never know what she is going to say from one moment to the next. Maybe it's a Zeltron trait.

One thing I don't like is when she checks out other guys. I'm not saying that because I'm jealous. That's not it at all. What I don't like is when she checks them out and then asks me if I think the guy is hot. What? How would I know? Of course she doesn't believe me when I tell her men can't tell when other guys are attractive.

"You mean you don't think he's handsome?" she asked me one day while we were at a nightclub. She was pointing at some man about my age. He was tall, with dark hair and average build…but there is no way that I would know if he were attractive and I told her so.

"Oh please," she said incredulously. "Do you know when a guy is ugly?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I know a lot of butt-ugly guys."

She looked at me with one eyebrow raised. "Well, if you know what an ugly man looks like then you should know what the least ugliest fellow would look like." She pointed over to the man in question. "Is he the most or least ugly guy you have ever seen?"

I frowned. She has a way of getting me to answer her questions. "Fine, he is not the ugliest man I have ever seen. I would put him in the bottom ten percent in the ugly scale." I took a sip of my drink. "Are you happy now?"

She gave me a smug smile. "Yes, I am."

I pointed a finger at her. "Now that I admitted he's not hideous don't start suggesting weird things like a love fest. I am not into group activities."

She laughed at me. She knows that despite my bluster I am not very adventurous when it comes to my love life. "No," she said. "If I wanted a threesome I would just ask the Skywalker twins."

I spit out my drink and stared at her slack jawed. "What?" I sputtered. "Did you ever ask them? Were you ever with Jak and Owen?"

"No!" She laughed again. "But I'm sure they'd be willing. You told me they do everything together."

I shook my head. "I'm sure that is one thing they don't do together."

She gave me a sultry look. "You never know. I once dated identical twins. You would be surprised what those two did together. One time we…"

"Stop," I interrupted her. I found out fairly quickly that Zeltrons would tell you just about every intimate detail of their life if you let them.

"What I was going to tell you wasn't bad, but I know how you hate it when I talk about my love life." She hesitated for a moment. "My cousin once dated conjoined twins."

"Knock it off!" I yelled and then reached over and tickled her along her ribs. That gets her every time.

"Stop it!" she laughed while slapping my hands away.

"It's the only way I know to stop you from talking."

She gave me a wicked grin. "You know another way."

I acted like I was put out, sighing deeply and rolling my eyes. "But I don't want to."

"Liar," she said as she reached her arms around my neck and pulled me to her lips. I ran my hands through her blue hair as I deepened the kiss. She's right; this was one sure way to keep her from talking. I sometimes think she tells me these creepy stories just to get that particular reaction.

Oh well, it works.


	49. Chapter 49

_**Entry 69**_

I was requested for a Jump Trooper mission. Well, actually my father was requested and he asked my master if he could bring me along. That is fine with me. I like working with my father.

.

.

.

_**Entry 70**_

My dad and I traveled with a Battalion of Jump Troopers to the planet Vannix. It is a Core world populated by humans. There were two insurgent groups fighting the planetary government for control. Usually the Galactic Alliance doesn't like to get involved in local planetary conflict unless there is unusual circumstances, such as genocide, the use of child soldiers, rape gangs or the use of weapons of mass destruction such as poison gas, nerve agents, biological weapons or the use of nuclear weaponry.

Sentient Rights investigators were sent out to the planet and reported that ethnic cleansing was occurring on the planet. One ethnic group was attempting to eradicate the presence of another ethnic group in the area. Mass graves were found. In response to these atrocities, the Galactic Alliance sent a brigade combat team, which consisted of infantry, Jump Troopers, field artillery, air and support battalions.

We were to assist the official government to crush the large guerrilla forces that have been overtly attacking the local populace and to try to root out the underground elements that were conducting espionage and sabotage.

Fighting irregular forces is especially difficult. With a conventional war we know who the enemy is. The foe is dressed in uniforms and has military bases that we can target. Guerrilla warfare is totally different. In most cases we are not at war with a country or planet where the conflict is occurring. We can't swoop in and bomb the enemy's position because they may be located within a community of innocent civilians. We instead have to go into a town and search out the enemy building to building. Any airstrikes have to be surgical. We need the help of the locals to maintain a good flow of intelligence.

The trouble is the GA military follows strict rules of engagement but the enemy often can care less if there is collateral damage during a battle. Unfortunately, that was the case on Vannix.

.

.

.

_**Entry 71**_

Our first few days weren't too bad. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to do any combat jumps right away, but my dad said I shouldn't be too anxious, we'd be rushing up to death's door soon enough (I really didn't like the way he phrased that).

Instead of the armored jump trooper suit we wore camouflaged fatigues with light body armor. We looked just like other combat troopers except we had special shoulder epaulets signifying we were Jedi Assets. Uncle Luke had wanted us to wear our Jedi robes all the time while performing these duties, but the military didn't want that. They had nothing against the Jedi (at least not officially), but a few times my dad did deploy in his robes he had problems. The ground troopers didn't like being around him, referring to the Jedi robes as _'Basterbolt magnets'_. It was true. It seems that every hostile in the area liked the idea of killing a Jedi. I am not heart broken about wearing combat fatigues. Like my father, I am not overly fond of Jedi attire. If I am swinging a lightsaber I really don't need heavy robes whooshing around my body and getting in my way. The cloaks snag on nails and branches and they are impossible to keep clean while in the field. As far as I'm concerned the Jedi robes should only be used for noncombat functions.

My dad and I went to the Brigade headquarters to get a sitrep. Once there we discovered the forward operating base had come under nighttime sniper fire during the past week. The troopers sent out probe droids to search out the location of the sniper, but nothing came up in the droids' thermal sensors.

"They are using a slug thrower so we can't see a blaster bolt trail and they are probably wearing ambience suits," said the Colonel in charge. "It disguises their thermal signatures."

"Do you have counter-sniper operations up?" my dad asked.

The Colonel nodded. "In the next building over we have our snipers stationed. If you want to do some Jedi sniper magic, feel free to try."

My dad nodded and motioned for me to follow him. We went to where the snipers were located. Dad talked to a GA sniper named Gerof Llennoc.

"I think we can locate the sniper using the Force," my dad told the man.

"How would you know if the person you are shooting at is a friend or foe?" the sniper asked.

"Would a friendly be wearing an ambience suit?" my dad asked.

"Probably not." The sniper pointed to his weapon lying on the floor propped up by a tripod. There was a hole cut through the wall for the sniper to shoot through. "Have you ever used a Karpaki Fifty slug thrower?"

"I've trained with it. Is that an infrared scope on it?"

"Yeah."

My dad motioned to me. "We can help. My son and I will try to sense the sniper through the Force. If I don't see a heat signature through the scope where I sense the person's location we can assume we have an ambience suit wearer."

The sniper shrugged. "Be my guest. You can't do worse than I have tonight."

So that is what dad and I did that night. We turned down the lights in the room and my dad settled down behind the weapon. I was lying prone next to my dad with some nightview/infrared macrobinoculars. We reached out with the Force trying to sense anybody out in the distance, especially someone with evil intent. After an hour we felt somebody out in the forest. Dad looked through the infrared scope. "I don't see a heat signature. Can you sense them, Talon?"

I looked through the macrobinoculars. "I can sense him, but I don't see any movement."

"It's too dark for those goggles in the nightview mode and if they are wearing the suit the infrared is useless. Gerof, are you awake?" my dad said without looking up from the scope.

I heard the sniper crawl up to us. "Yeah."

"I have somebody out there. Sentient, most likely human or near human and no heat signature indicating he's probably in an ambience suit or cloak. Requesting permission to take the shot."

"Let me make sure we don't have friendlies out there. Do you have coordinates?"

My father gave him the scope coordinates and Gerof contacted his senior officer verifying that we weren't about to lay down friendly fire. After a few minutes he turned off the comlink. "We're clear. No friendlies in the area. Take the shot."

My father didn't say anything but I could feel him pull the Force to him as he concentrated on aiming the rifle. After what seemed like an eternity I heard the loud report of the slug thrower. It was almost deafening in the small room. I had switched my macrobinoculars onto infrared in a hope to see a blood trail. What I saw shocked me. Shortly after my dad fired the weapon there was a blossoming of heat from the area where we sensed the possible sniper. I wasn't exactly sure what I saw…it was like an explosion of infrared heat.

In the dim light I saw my father look up from the scope and turn to Gerof. "What type of slugs are these?"

"Explosive tipped," the sniper said softly.

My dad groaned. "I thought the GA wanted to restrict those slugs to equipment-only targets?"

"An ambience suit is equipment," the sniper said matter-of-factly.

"Kriff!" My father swore.

"What's wrong Dad?"

"That big expansion of heat was blood and flesh. Tomorrow we will probably find chunks of that sniper over a fifty meter radius." He got up. "I don't appreciate you putting me in this situation, Gerof. I follow GA rules of engagement." He tapped my leg with his boot. "Come on Talon."

I got up and we went to the headquarters where my father reported the incident. He was pretty hot…but we did get the sniper who killed five soldiers in the last week. I am not sure what to feel about the incident. It was true we used ammunition not approved for use on sentient beings, but I don't know how it would have been better if my dad put a conventional slug through the enemy's brain.

Dead was dead.


End file.
